


The Mutant's Choice

by nicoleamari



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Multi, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-X-Men: Days of Future Past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:08:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 25,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8368294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicoleamari/pseuds/nicoleamari
Summary: Asia Silver, mutant and best friend of both Wade Wilson and Raven Darkholme, and another almost superhero. Joined the Avengers after the battle for New York and regrets it because Steve makes her run with him. When Steve's best friend from the 40's shows up, he not only scares the hell out of Steve, but Asia too, as she was not expecting to find such a terrifying man, and a villain, so attractive. Such a shame he's in a love affair with HYDRA, but Asia's never been one to care for current relationships.





	1. Blood Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blood makes up around 7% of the weight of a human body. Blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.  
> These blood cells float in a yellow liquid called blood plasma. One of the principal signs of life for humans is blood pressure, this is the measure of pressure that circulating blood has on the walls of blood vessels. Blood pressure is usually taken from a person’s upper arm. Although averages vary from person to person, a general human being is known to have a normal blood pressure of around 112/64 mmHg. High blood pressure can increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Part One - Bucky

Two years ago – In time with The Avengers. 2012

 

Chaos. That was the only word she could think of, as the world outside her window burned in blue fire. Asia Silver slumped against the over turned desk that had saved her from the explosion that had blown several of her colleagues into tiny pieces of flesh and bone and blood. Dressed in a tight pantsuit and heels, she knew better than to engage any of the invaders, ugly creatures that were not of her world or any that she knew of. She heard a solid thud, the sound of a person, she hoped, landing close to her, and peered over the desk.

The man was tall, with long black hair and a helmet that had her instantly flashing back to her least favourite Christmas song. Rudolph in human form was handsome but his antlers amused her the most, dominating any fear or wariness she probably should have been paying attention to. That was until the giant Frisbee slammed into his chest, sending him flying back and then Asia saw him.

Holy hell. He was tall and buff and damn son, was he fine. Her mouth practically watered at the sight of that attractive specimen. Asia couldn't keep her eyes off him as he picked up the Frisbee, which she realised was actually a shield with a star on it and tossed it in the direction of Rudolph who was trying to make his get away.

That was when it dawned on Asia who the hell the Adonis in front of her was. Captain America, in all his glory, glared down at Rudolph, who she then pieced together to be the Asgardian god, Loki. Asia's mouth pinched slightly at this information. The hunk of manly man in front of her was fucking 90 years old?

How the hell was his ass so fine when he should have been pushing up daisies, not doing actual pushups to keep those arms looking as good as they did. Asia rolled her eyes at herself. Typical Asia, going straight for the assets, she really should be thinking of an idea to either get out of here unnoticed or maybe help Captain America with whatever he was trying to do.

His shield bounced off Loki and skidded to a halt near her desk. She moved towards it with as much stealth as she could in heels and froze when a gun shot went off in the next room. It was just her luck that she knocked the canister of pencils, which rolled noisily into the middle of the room and both heads jerked towards the guilty looking girl, who stood nervously and gave them a cheeky wave.

They both looked perplexed by her sudden appearance and she bent down as if to stop the pencils from making noise when she kicked the fallen shield up into her hand and flung it at Loki's head. The look of surprise on his face made her day as the shield hit its mark and Captain America grabbed it before Loki took off, dashing away from him and out the nearest exit, a window.

Asia stood to her full height, stepping out of her heels as Captain America stared at her.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Asia blinked. "Do I not look okay?" He blanched.

"Do I not look okay?" He blanched.

"No, that's not what I meant-" She smiled wickedly.

"Don't you have a war to win Captain? I believe you have a god to go beat up."

He eyed her dubiously and she realised she must look a mess.

"Do you want to come with me, there is a safe house just down the street and I can get you there if you would like that ma'am?" Asia picked up her briefcase, shoving her ruined laptop into it before looking up at him.

"Captain. I promise not to get in any trouble if you go back into battle and kick alien butt for me."

The smallest of smiles drifted over his face but Asia was more aware of the time they were wasting by hovering here. 

"Go!" She pressed, picking up her shoes and slipping out after him as he went back out the window. He landed on the ground, a short drop from the window. She jumped and waited for the impact to rattle her teeth and give her sore feet but strong arms went around her and she was placed oh so carefully on the ground that looked like someone had brought a jackhammer to it. She muttered her thanks to the Captain who began to stride off. Suddenly, he swung, his eyes locking onto her.

"Wait. Ma'am, could I have your name?"

Asia gave him an exasperated look before she turned to walk the other way, shooting over her shoulder.

"You can call me Asia." Then she turned her back to him and heard an alien ship swooping low. She fired twice with the gun she had nicked from the Captain's arsenal and the ship spiralled out of control as she took out the alien Uber and she stepped back into cover as it slammed into a building and the explosion that followed forced her back several steps.

Come on, this was never gonna be an ordinary civilian meets superhero story. Her best friend was Wade Wilson, this was never going to be an ordinary situation. Only problem was, she was technically a bad guy. And that meant she was on S.H.I.E.L.D's naughty list. It was not everyday you expect to be shot in the throat by a 5 ft 6 girl who looks like she belongs more in a Disney movie than in a superhero movie. Well if you are reading because you think this is gonna be a fuzzy story where there's lots of fluff and sweetness, I suggest you take a deep breath of reality. The world isn't all fluffy bunnies, they will probably(hopefully) try to kill you.

When Asia reached the underground parking lot she deemed was safe, seeing that there were other civilians scattered across the lot, she slumped down. Pulling her knees to her chest she began wondering how today had changed her life before grabbing her phone, snarling at the shitty phone service that had survived the attack and called Wade. He picked up after two rings.

"Death's housing for prostitutes, what would you like to purchase today?" The familiar drawl set her immediately at ease, despite the fact that November was now going to have to be alert for S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

"I helped someone out today." She began.

"Gooood work young padawan." The response was quick.

"Pray tell, what did you do sugar plum?" Asia shrugged her shoulders.

"I helped S.H.I.E.L.D." There was a pause.

"Are you gonna join them now and leave me all alone honey bee?" Asia coughed.

"Problem – S.H.I.E.L.D does not like me. I may have hijacked one or two, read eleven, of their agents in order to gain access to their intel and database, who can blame me, I want to know everyone's secrets. Also I needed to wipe whatever they had on me. I don't want any such corruptions of S.H.I.E.L.D leading to me not being able to get a job, no one needs to know about the other thing and hell no did I need any of their agents spying on my cute ass."

There was silence down the other end.

"For fucks sake Wade, help me. I need to know if I wanna go rogue again or wander into S.H.I.E.L.D's clutches and let them babysit me, I mean, free rent in that floating fortress." She heard Wade's laughter and then he spoke again.

"You know what honey bee, S.H.I.E.L.D was always gonna come for you. You're pretty badass and sometimes you work well with others and you might meet a cute person." Asia growled at him and hung up, stretching her feet out till they cracked.

One of the other people gave her a dirty look and she winked theatrically before spotting them. The Avengers, all bloodied and sweaty, but they look triumphant so she was going to assume they had won whatever they were doing. Loud cheers went up from the before quiet people around her and she found herself staring longingly at the Captain. Even looking like he needed 30 showers, he still looked delicious in that uniform. The Avengers looked grateful as the people around them burst into applause and she saw Captain America's eyes sweeping the crowd and didn't have enough time to shrink back before his eyes locked on her and his mouth curved upwards and he began to walk over.

She let the smile light her face as he padded over.

"So, I heard from Tony that you are one of the enhanced S.H.I.E.L.D is trying to latch onto." Her brows went up and her mouth turned down.

"That is not how you chat up a girl, old man, geez, you'd think men from the 40's had a little charm." Asia pouted but grinned up at the Captain.

"He wants to know if you need a place to stay." Captain America asked her, warmth lighting his eyes. Asia blinked, surveying the area, her building had most likely been flattened, and if she was staying with the Avengers, she was less likely to go on a murder hunt and Tony Stark would have food.

She gave him a big smile.

"What if I was to say yes, what then?" Captain America smiled fondly.

"You would come back with us to the recently renovated Stark Tower, we just had an entire floor cleared you see, and stay there. The others will come and go, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like, according to Tony." Asia grinned.

"I am so down for this! Lead the way, El Capitan." He strode away, making her growl in fury as she launched herself after him in quick, but smaller strides.

"Wait up, I have little legs!"

 

Two years later – In time with the beginning of Captain America – The Winter Soldier. 2014

 

"Why the fuck are we still running? Steve!" Asia screamed, earning confused glances from the tourists milling around.

"Steve, I'm dying. Why are we running? Nothing is chasing us!" She watched Steve, who was ignoring her, the tall bastard, round the curve of the lake and overlap the dark skinned guy they saw every morning. Well, Steve saw him every morning. Like hell was Asia going for a run every morning, she didn't mind getting up at sunrise but running was more of an enemy than anything else in this world.

"On your left." She teased Sam, as she and Steve did every single morning they were running together.

"Uh-huh, on my left. Got it." Sam kept his pace, jogging past trees and tourists and ducks as he watched the Super Soldier and the smallish blonde girl run at speeds that should defiantly not be normal. Sam became aware of Steve encroaching his peripheral and groaned internally before speaking.

"Don't say it! Don't you say it!" Steve huffed beside him.

"On your left!" And then he was in front of him again.

"Come on!" Sam was exasperated, noticing the smallish blonde girl had practically collapsed under a tree panting heavily. He jogged over to her.

"You okay?" He heard her laughter and grinned, before leaning on a tree himself and puffing softly, trying to get his breathing back under control.

"Need a medic?" The voice could only belong to the Super Soldier, Sam turned and gave a cheeky smile.

"I need a new set of lungs." There was a groan from the ground.

"I second that." A smile flitted across Captain America's face and Sam glared at him.

"Dude, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes." Captain America grimaced.

"I guess I got a late start."

The girl on the ground muttered something that rhymed with 'Cupid Ducker', which brought a smirk to Sam's face.

"Oh, really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." He hesitated a moment before resuming his sarcastic tirade.

"Did you just take it? I assumed you just took it." The blonde girl stood, shaking her limbs out and laughing.

"Can we keep him Steve, please?" 'Steve' glanced at her briefly before resuming his attention on Sam.

"What unit are you with?"

"Fifty-eighth, Para-rescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson." Captain America nodded, "Steve Rogers." The blonde girl grinned up at Sam.

"He's the sensible one. I'm Asia, Asia Silver. I'm the chill one but I will fight you." Sam decided he liked her immediately, Steve Rogers would take some getting used to but this girl looked like a bundle of fun.

"I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing." Steve almost winced. "It takes some getting used to. It's good to meet you, Sam."

"It's your bed, right?" Sam called, as the two began to move off, Asia already chattering in Steve's ear.

"What's that?" Steve turned around, but Asia, by some miracle, had heard what he had said over her babble and pulled a face so comical, that Sam almost doubled over in laughter.

"Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there I sleep on the ground and used rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed, and It's like..." Same searched for the word.

"Lying on a marshmallow. I feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor." Steve said, causing Asia to throw him a look. "And how is that a bad thing?" Steve ignored her,

"And how is that a bad thing?" Steve ignored her.

"How long?" Sam smiled thinly.

"Two tours. You must miss the good old days, huh?" Asia let out a loud groan and stomped over to a water fountain, not so far that she still could hear every word, but far enough away that she didn't look like she belonged with them.

"Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up." Steve told him, sending Asia a warm smile.

"Marvin Gaye, 1972, "Trouble Man" soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album." Sam recommended, as Asia made her return and glared at the small notebook Steve pulled out. 

"Oh my god, what did you tell him?" Steve noted out something.

"I've put it on the list. It's very helpful having this one as well though," Steve gave Asia an affectionate look that she missed, as she was trying to reach the notebook, with little success as Steve was a giant compared to the shorter girl. There was a synchronised beeping and both Steve and Asia grabbed for their phones.

"Alright, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you wanna call running." The boys shook hands whilst Asia nicked the notebook from an unprepared Steve and began to write in quick handwriting across a page.

"Oh, that's how it is?" Sam said, hiding a smile.

"Oh, that's how it is." Steve grinned and Sam laughed.

"Okay. Anytime you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know." He looked over at Asia.

"See ya short stuff." When she growled at him, he took a step backwards.

"I'll keep it in mind." Steve said dragging a now pouting Asia toward the curb as Natasha pulled up, rolling down the window. 

"Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil." Asia snorted and stalked around to the front seat and flung herself in, giving Sam a cheeky wave, which he returned albeit nervously.

"Hilarious." Steve grumbled as he slid in, Sam was checking out both Nat and the car.

"How you doing?" Nat smiled. 

"Hey." Steve grimaced.

"You can't run everywhere." Sam cracked a grin.

"No, you can't."

Asia was bored. Out of her mind. The others were allowed to go on top secret missions but no, poor little Asia was left behind, because she was grounded. It wasn't like she meant to hit the guy, he had pissed her off. Any self-respecting woman would have done that exact thing and she had been punished because he had made derogatory comments and he was a higher ranking 'agent'. She did regret something though, she should have broken his jaw rather than just his nose, jaw was much more painful. She was interrupted from her slightly murderous thoughts by the arrival of her best friend.

"You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?" She heard Steve say angrily as she walked in, beamed at a bemused looking Fury and then threw her arms around Steve. 

"Stevie! You're alive!" Fury gave her a smile, she had learned he had a soft spot for her, hidden in the deep locked away heart that lay somewhere in his chest.

"I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours." Steve rolled his eyes.

"Which you didn't feel obliged to share." Nick sent him a quelling look.

"I'm not obliged to do anything." Asia muttered something under her breath but Steve shook his head at her and she remained silent.

"Those hostages could've died, Nick." Steve snapped.

"I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen." Asia elbowed him.

"Soldiers trust each other, that's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around and shooting guns. Nick shook his head.

"The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything." Steve made an angry noise.

"I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their owns. Even Asia's more enjoyable to work with than Romanoff, and she complains about everything and everyone and tries to bite people if they are rude to her." Asia glared sullenly out the window and Fury sighed.

"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all." Asia scoffed.

"Except you." Nick gave her a look.

"You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that." He beckoned them into an elevator.

"Insight bay." The computer spoke up.

"Captain Rogers and Asia Silver do not have clearance for Project Insight." Nick eyed it.

"Director override, Fury, Nicholas J." The computer beeped.

"Confirmed." The elevator began to drop." Steve hummed quietly.

"You know, they used to play music."

"Yeah. My grandfather operated one of these things for forty years. My granddad worked in a nice building, he got good tips. He'd walk home every night, roll of ones stuffed in his lunch bag. He'd say "hi", people would say hi back. Time went on, neighbourhood got rougher. He'd say "Hi", they'd say, "Keep on steppin'." Granddad got to grippin' that lunch bag a little tighter." Steve looked at him, surprised by how open the Director was being. "Did he ever get mugged?" Fury smirked.

"Did he ever get mugged?" Fury smirked.

"Every week some punk would say, "What's in the bag?"" Asia spoke.

"Well, what did he do?" Nick glanced up.

"He'd show 'em. A bunch of crumpled ones and loaded 0.22 Magnum. Granddad loved people. But he didn't trust them very much." They stared out of the elevator into the large space, which was filled with large fighter jets and people.

"Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a 0.22. This is Project Insight. Three next generation Helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites."

"Launched from the Lemurian Star." Steve muttered.

"Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulsor engines." Steve's brows raised.

"Stark?" Nick nodded.

"Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up close look at our old turbines. These new long range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralise a lot of threats before they even happen."

"I thought the punishment usually came after the crime." Asia snapped. She had been silent long enough that both men had forgotten about her. "We can't afford to wait that long." Nick murmured. "Who's "we"?" Steve challenged. "After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surgeon threat analysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve." Steve folded his arms.

"We can't afford to wait that long." Nick murmured.

"Who's "we"?" Steve challenged.

"After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surgeon threat analysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve." Steve folded his arms.

"By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection." Asia snorted and Fury glanced at her briefly. "You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff." Steve's eyes flashed.

"Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. This isn't freedom, this is fear." Fury had a cool expression on his face.

"SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap." Steve glared.

"Don't hold your breath." And then he and Asia, who was waving cheerfully at some agents she recognised, headed off to the Smithsonian.


	2. Lavender Purple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lavender is used in essential oils, perfumes, in aromatherapy, in traditional herbal medicine and in the kitchen as a culinary herb. Here are some other interesting facts about lavender that you may not know: The name Lavender comes from the Latin verb, "lavare," which means to wash.

Asia stretched her fingers up, catching at the wind as Steve manoeuvred his bike through the traffic thronging 14th Street. When they pulled to a halt she pulled the bothersome helmet from her hair and shook it out, grumbling about the temperature in Washington DC. The Smithsonian, well the part of it they were visiting stood in front of them, the only reason Asia knew where to go was because she had seen Night at the Museum, and with a curl of her finger, she and Steve walked into the Air and Space Department. Asia knocked the sunglasses on her head to perch on her nose, today's disguises required no one to look very hard at the too. Once they reached the Captain America section, Asia gave Steve some space and went around the museum as a regular tourist.

"A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice." She listened to the narrator with a slight smirk, little Stevie seemed to be quite the example setter.

"Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier."

Asia snorted and paced back over to Steve. A small boy and Steve were having a stare off and Asia raised her finger to her lips, indicating for the troublesome child to hold his tongue. Steve watched the footage of himself with a sadness that was tangible and made Asia pity him. Goddammit did she hate pitying someone. Steve didn't need her pity, fuck, he needed her support.

"In this rare footage, everyone's favourite warrior, Captain America..." Asia nudged him with a less than sly wink and Steve walked over to a bunch of mannequins to avoid her gaze. The narrator continued.

"Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division." Asia's eyes found Steve, staring sadly at a display dedicated to a dark haired man.

"Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both school yard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling commando to give his life in service of his country." Asia touched his elbow.

"You miss him." Steve nodded sadly and moved over to the unit about Peggy Carter as Asia looked over the files about Bucky Barnes. He was gorgeous, dark hair and very blue eyes, if Steve was hot well damn his best friend was smoking. Asia kept such thoughts to herself though, as she was aware of how much Steve missed his old life and friends. He may have her now, but you could only do so much to replace old friends. She listened in on an interview with Peggy Carter, a beautiful woman who Asia would place bets on having a thing with Steve.

"That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve...Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would...who would become my husband as it turned out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life." Asia felt sadness well in her throat, it was clear as day they had had something.

"Asia. I have to do something. Think you can stay out of trouble for a couple of hours. Go visit Sam or something." Steve sounded like he really needed to do whatever he was about to do, and she nodded, grinning easily. "Sure thing Stevie. Remember, we are having sushi tonight!" Steve smiled warmly and then with a wave, he turned and strode out of the exhibit. Asia did not go to Sam's immediately. She headed to the small flat she used only on occasions such as these and gave Wade Wilson a call before forwarding Steve a text about a PTSD support night she had decided they would attend and then arranged to get donuts with Sam Wilson. Staying out of trouble indeed.

"The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED." Asia bit her lip as a reminder to herself to keep her mouth shut. They had arrived late to the support evening, as sushi had distracted her and she had forgotten the time. Sam, who stood up the front, nodded out at all the veterans and Asia.

"Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you." Asia wanted to cheer when it had finished, it was all so sad and made her feel guilty and she hated that she couldn't help Steve, who had his serious face on.

Sam headed over to them at the end of the meeting.

"Look who it is. The running man." Asia butted in.

"And donut girl!" Sam gave her a smile before focussing on Steve.

"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense." Sam nodded.

"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret." Asia flinched but it was Steve that asked.

"You lose someone?" Sam's face was impassive.

"My wingman, Riley. Fly in the night mission. A standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knock Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch."

"I'm sorry." Steve murmured.

"After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?" Steve inclined his head.

"But you're happy now, back in the world?" Sam nodded.

"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell, yeah. You thinking about getting out?" Asia high-fived him with a grin but Steve shook his head.

"No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did." Sam blinked.

"Ultimate fighting? It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?" Steve muttered.

"I don't know." At the same time as Asia said.

"Me!" And Sam grinned.

"See ya guys, have a nice week." They nodded and headed back to Steve's place, that Asia stayed at pretty much full time. Their neighbour, who Asia had yet to tell Steve was an undercover S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Sharon was on the phone.

"That's so sweet. That is so nice. Hey. I gotta go, though. Okay, bye." When she saw the duo.

"My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac." Asia rolled her eyes, then Steve seemed to see she was doing washing.

"Hey, if you want...if you want, you're welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement." Asia scoffed and Steve knocked her sharply.

"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?" Sharon asked, smiling,

"A cup of coffee?" There was a shyness to Steve's voice and if Asia was so busy glaring at the bruise forming on her arm, she would have made googoo eyes at Steve.

"Thank you, but um...I already have a load in downstairs, and, uh...you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I'm just finished orientation in the infectious diseases ward, so." Asia's eyebrows shot up, bitch this is Captain America, if he flirts with you, you drop your panties.

"Ah, well, I'll keep my distance." Steve sounded a little saddened by the reaction and Asia gave Sharon a nasty look.

"Well hopefully not too far. Oh, and I think you left your stereo on." Sharon added as the two turned away from her, Asia muttering about setting Sharon's hair on fire.

"Right, thank you." Steve said, pushing Asia in front of him so that Sharon would not hear the vulgarity coming from the 5"6 girl. Steve entered the apartment after Asia, the music on making him nervous enough to grab his shield.

"I don't remember giving him a key." Asia said from the living room and Steve walked to join her.

Nick Fury sat on the couch in the dark.

"You really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out." Steve blinked, he didn't know what to think.

"Didn't know you were married." Nick chuckled but there was something off about him. Asia moved towards the light as Nick spoke.

"There are a lot of things you don't about me." Steve shook his head.

"I know, Nick. That's the problem." The lights came on and both had to stifle gasps at they saw Nick's injuries for the first time. Nick typed something on his phone and showed them quickly.

'Ears everywhere.'

"I'm sorry to have do this, but I had no place else to crash." Asia laughed coolly as Nick wrote 'SHIELD compromised' on his phone. Asia muttered a curse word that made Steve glare at her.

"Who else knows about your wife?" Fury wrote back.

'You two and me." Nick sighed.

"Just...my friends." Steve raised his brows.

"Is that what we are?" Nick nodded.

"That's up to you." Suddenly there was a cascade of bullets and Asia screamed as Fury collapsed. Steve ran to him, whilst Asia went for the window. She turned to see Fury handing Steve a flash drive.

"Don't trust anyone." There was someone trying to into the apartment, and when they succeeded, Asia grabbed her knife.

"Captain Rogers? Asia Silver?" They saw Sharon from next door come in, Asia relaxed and lowered her knife.

"Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD's Special Service." Steve blinked, confused.

"I'm assigned to protect you. You already had Asia with you, so we knew you two would be fine but Asia tends to be unpredictable." Asia bared her teeth and Steve rested a calming hand on her arm, he hadn't lowered his shield.

"On whose order?" Sharon glanced down to the director.

"His." She knelt down beside Fury and radioed in.

"Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs." An agent replied instantly.

"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" Asia and Steve both looked out and then they saw him, masked and all black, a hulking form.

"Tell them I'm in pursuit." Steve smashed through the window, and with a dramatic groan, Asia threw herself after Steve as they ran after the assassin.

"I hate running!" Asia yelled as she dodged a line and rolled beneath another. Steve shook his head.

"This is why we run in the morning!"

They caught the assassin on the next roof, Steve hurling his shield at the man, who effortlessly caught it. Asia's eyes widened.

"Holy shit, Steve he just caught your Frisbee!" Then she focussed on the assassin who suddenly hurled the shield back at her. Asia yowled like a cat and dropped, Steve grabbing the shield as it whizzed over her and quickly scooped up a shaky Asia as the assassin vanished over the side of the building.

Natasha entered the room that Steve and Asia had been waiting outside of for hours.

"Is he gonna make it?" She flung an arm around Asia's shoulders, the smaller girl glaring up at her.

"What, no hello?" Nat rolled her eyes but focussed on Steve instead.

"I don't know." Nat addressed both of them.

"Tell me about the shooter." Steve blinked.

"He's fast and strong. He had a metal arm." Agent Hill strode in, nodding at Asia and Steve.

"Ballistics?" Maria nodded.

"Three slugs. No rifling and completely untraceable."

Asia made an ugly noise.

"Fuck." Two disapproving looks were sent her way but Nat sent her a sly look.

"Soviet made?" Maria nodded and turned to Asia.

"Ms Silver-" Asia shook her head.

"Just Asia, you've known me for two years." Maria swallowed and smiled thinly.

"We were wondering, well I was, I know of your history and I know you have access to obscure ways to track things that S.H.I.E.L.D has yet to use, do you mind?" Asia nodded.

"Sure, I'll get stop by later and begin running my codes." They were all distracted suddenly by the doctor yelling.

"He's dropping." A nurse moved around the bed.

"Crash cart coming in." Another doctor turned to her as the faces of the four watching dropped into expressions of sadness.

"Nurse, help me with the gauzes, please. BP is dropping. Defibrillator!" Asia muffled a cry as Fury flatlined.

"Charge to one hundred." The doctor ordered. Natasha pressed her fists to her mouth.

"Don't do this to me, Nick." Another doctor paced over.

"Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" They administered a shock with the defibrillator.

"Pulse?" The second doctor yelled.

"No pulse." The first called.

"Okay. Charge to two hundred, please. Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" They shocked him again.

"Give me epinephrine! Pulse?" The second doctor called again.

"Negative." The first spoke.

"Don't do this to me, Nick. Don't do this to me." Natasha whispered as the watched them continue to try to revive him. Steve turned away and Asia breathed out as they called his time of death.

"What's the time?" The doctor said softly.

"1:03, Doctor." The nurse spoke hastily.

"Time of death, 1:03 A.M." The others filed in, complete silence hanging over them like a cloud. Even Asia was silent, her body still and her eyes downcast.

"We need to take him." Hill hissed. Steve headed over to Nat.

"Natasha." There was no response but she touched Fury's head tenderly before turning and striding out.

"Natasha!" He called after her.

"Why was Fury in your apartment?"

Steve shook his head, glancing back at Asia, who was talking quickly with Hill.

"I don't know." Rumlow hurried up them, interrupting them.

"Captain, they want you back at SHIELD." Steve waved him off.

"Yeah, give me a second." Rumlow shook his head.

"They want you now." Steve gave him a cold look.

"Okay." Steve turned to Nat.

"You're a terrible liar." She walked off as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent hurried up.

"STRIKE team escort Captain Rogers back to SHIELD immediately." Rumlow nodded.

"I told him."

Steve glanced at the vending machine behind him and then followed Rumlow.

"Let's go." Rumlow inclined his head.

"Yeah. STRIKE, move it out." Steve slipped the flash drive into the vending machine, catching Asia's eyes as he did. He saw her nod and then her eyes flicked back to Hill.

Asia made her way down with Hill to the secured lab room on one of S.H.I.E.L.D's many outpost labs. This lab was more of less deserted, there were no people in her immediate sight. Maria turned to Asia, smiling thinly. Asia liked Hill well enough, she didn't have much of a sense of humour but she had always been lovely to Asia and that, in Asia's mind was what mattered.

"So, you're going to be here alone, because at the moment, S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised, and because I trust you and it seems Fury did and Cap does, I'm giving you the heads up. Everything and everyone is not as they seem. You and Cap have been out of the loop, which is better, but I need you to be careful."

Asia nodded, slipping her laptop from her bag and flipping it open, already humming away, as Hill handed her the folder which she flipped through quickly, before spreading the files out on a comfortable part of the floor. She lowered herself as elegantly as possible in her chunky boots and sat cross-legged on the floor. Maria quirked her mouth a little.

"I'll leave you here then. It may take a while, so I'll come by in a day or two, promise me you will get some sleep this time?" Asia grinned at her, nodding but to herself, she muttered.

"Not fucking likely sweetheart." And with Hill's departure, she was free to blast what ever kind of music she wanted. And goddamn if she didn't need to catch up on some Sia, 1000 Forms of Fear sounded a little ironic now, but Asia reckoned she needed a bit of ironic.


	3. Peppermint Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. The plant, indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, is now widespread in cultivation in many regions of the world. It is found wild occasionally with its parent species.

Steve returned to the hospital after he took the plunge from the elevator. He was still quite shaken, and had no idea where on earth Asia was, she wasn't picking up her phone and he hadn't been able to contact Hill. He spotted the vending machine, hurried over, to find the spot where he had placed the gum was empty. He swore, Asia would have left it, he knew but who else was there to trust. Nat rounded the corner and blew a bubble-gum bubble, smirking at him teasingly.

"Where is it?" He snapped. Nat raised a brow at his tone.

"Safe." Steve shook his head, "It better!"

Nat scoffed.

"Where did you get it?" Steve scowled.

"Why would I tell you?" That perked Nat's interest clearly.

"Fury gave it to you. Why? And where the fuck is Asia, I can't get a hold of her." Steve flinched at the word but concealed his reaction as best he could.

"What's on it?" Nat looked perplexed.

"I don't know." Steve slammed his palms down around her head and Nat had the grace to look wary.

"Stop lying!" She rolled her eyes.

"I only act like I know everything, Rogers." Steve's lip curled.

"I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?" Nat rolled her shoulders back as they pushed through a door.

"Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you." Steve studied her.

"I'm not gonna ask you again." Nat flipped her hair off of her face.

"I know who killed Fury. Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, the ones who do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years." Steve's mouth twisted.

"So he's a ghost story." Nat shook her head.

"Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot at my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me-" She pulled her shirt up to reveal an old scar on her stomach.

"A Soviet slag, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis." Steve grimaced.

"Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now." That remark got him the smallest of smiles from Nat and then she spoke again.

"Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried. Like you said, he's a ghost story." She held out the flash drive and Steve took it, nodding.

"Well, let's find out what the ghost wants. And also, I need a location done on Asia, she's gone AWOL."

 

The Winter Soldier entered the abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D building, for once not particularly caring how much noise he made. The building was supposed to be empty, the only thing to worry about were the racoons and possums that took refuge from the night. Gun raised, just a precaution really, he slipped into a side corridor and went down it until he froze. Light illuminated the next room. He peered around the corner and immediately raised his gun, eyes trained on the girl in the middle of the room.

She sat, surrounded by papers, her eyes glued to the screen, short blonde hair surrounded a beautiful face, that was at the moment twisted into such an expression he had the odd lust to laugh. He shook himself and something bounced to the floor, making a soft tinkling sound as it rolled. The girl didn't more, didn't even look up. And then he saw the headphones, he thought they were called, in her ears. She heard nothing but whatever she had in her ears. He turned, silently and retraced his steps to the exit to find out who the girl was and whether he needed to kill her or not.

Asia was careful not to raise her eyes when she felt the air shift. Remembering Hill's words, she kept her eyes trained on the screen, dumping everything she had decoded, which was everything they need to know, into a small, compact file, named 'Trouble Man', the Marvin Gaye album Steve had last on his list and then sent it to Steve, she and Steve both had their phones wired she knew, but she had taken the liberty of placing the tracked phones in the bin and had gotten 'Avenger' phones from Tony, untraceable and undetectable. Fury knew about them, but besides Hill, that was the only S.H.I.E.L.D agent that did.

She heard him leave and then realised she had a decision to make, Asia could run, go back to Steve and put a target on both their heads, seeing that she knew too much now, more than what she knew before at least. Swallowing, she examined the other option. Allowing herself to be taken by these people, HYDRA, and then what, death? Torture? Well, maybe it was better than anyone hurting Steve, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if anything happened to her little Stevie. Asia didn't get much more choice in the matter, as something hit the back of her head, hard and then the world went dark.

 

"So where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?" Natasha teased Steve, slinging her feet onto the dashboard of the typical suburban vehicle.

"Nazi Germany." Steve replied, a tad agitated at her.

"Mm." Natasha smirked at him.

"And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash." She did as he asked, curling her feet beneath her.

"Alright, I have a question for you, of which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?" Nat glanced over at him slyly.

"What?" Steve grumbled.

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?" Nat asked him with a teasing smile on her face.

"That bad, huh? And no, it wasn't." Nat grinned victoriously.

"I didn't say that. But ooh, who was it?" Steve flushed, his eyes flicking down. "Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience." Nat's eyes widened as she realised who Steve might have kissed.

"It wasn't Asia was it?" Steve blanched, his face colouring once more and Nat stared at him, in a mixture of horror and laughter.

"Jesus Christ Steve, you didn't mention that! Asia huh, I didn't think you two were even remotely interested-" Steve shook his head violently.

"No, not like that Nat, we were drinking and I saw a girl I thought was pretty and so went up to her but I didn't really remember how to kiss a girl so I kind just stood there and let her kiss me. And Asia saw and then gave me a quick kissing lesson. Damn that girl has had way too much practise. You should have seen how she kissed me. All the guys were staring at me in jealousy and all the girls at her in envy." Nat laughed loudly.

"Asia is a bit of a wildcard." Nat paled suddenly.

"Wait, I never got that location on her!"

Steve stared at her worriedly.

"Wait, I got a message from her earlier, it was some music folder, we can check it out after we leave." As if on cue, they arrived at an abandoned military base, where it seemed the signal seemed to be coming from.

"This is it?" Steve asked and Nat nodded.

"The file came from these coordinates." Steve blinked.

"So did I. This camp is where I was trained." Nat gave him a side glance.

"Changed much?" Steve shrugged.

"A little."

Nat groaned quietly.

"This is a dead end. Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off." Steve walked forward, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards from the barracks. This building is in the wrong place." They hurried over and Steve opened the lock using his shield and they slipped inside.

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D." Nat breathed. Steve glanced around.

"Maybe where it started." They entered a room filled with portraits, he distinguished Peggy and Howard Stark from the other nameless faces. Nat seemed to recognise Howard as well, "There's Stark's father." Steve nodded.

"Howard." Nat stared at Peggy.

"Who's the girl?" Steve didn't reply, instead walking over to a massive bookshelf.

"If you already working in a secret office-" He pushed back revealing an elevator.

"Why do you need to hide the elevator?" They got in and headed down to a dusty room, filled with old looking computers.

"This can't be the data-point, this technology is ancient." Nat noticed a flash port and placed the flash drive in it, activating the ancient computer.

"Initiate system?" The system beeped, and Nat typed into the keyboard.

"Y-E-S, spells yes." She smiled at the old computer briefly.

"Shall we play a game?-" She broke off and sent Steve a grin.

"It's from a movie that-" Steve nodded.

"Yeah, I saw it." Suddenly an accented voice rang out from the computer.

"Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984." A camera moved above them, analysing their every move.

"It's some kind of a recording." Nat murmured.

"I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am." A picture appeared, an old man.

"Do you know this thing?" Nat shot at Steve.

"Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years." Steve told her. The computer made a disgruntled noise.

"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain."

"How did you get here?" Steve asked, folding his arms over his chest, a defensive movement.

"Invited." Zola smirked.

"It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic values." Nat said to Steve.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own." Zola informed them.

"HYDRA died with the Red Skull." Steve snapped and Zola smirked.

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." Steve let out a low noise.

"Prove it."

Zola peered out at him.

"Accessing archive. HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."

"That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you." Nat snarled.

"Accidents will happen. HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum-" Steve slammed his fists and shield on the computer, smashing it but as soon as that computer blinked out, another came to life, Zola staring out at them with vacant eyes.

"As I was saying... What's on this drive? Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm."

"What kind of algorithm? What does it do?" Nat pressed.

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it." All the doors suddenly began to shut, Steve hurled his shield at them in a desperate attempt to keep them open.

"Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us...out of time." Zola murmured. Steve noticed a small opening in the ground, throwing the metal door aside he and Natasha dived down, just as the entire place exploded. Steve kept his shield up and then, as soon as the dust had settled, he grabbed Nat and got them the hell out of there.

 

Alexander Pierce entered his kitchen, going for the fridge when he saw him, the Winter Soldier sat behind him, his gun on the table and a small figure beneath a blanket on the couch behind him.

"I'm going to go, Mr. Pierce. You need anything before I leave?" Pierce's housekeeper called.

"No. Uh...it's fine, Renata, you can go home." Pierce answered back, his eyes fixed on the Winter Soldier.

"Okay, night-night." The housekeeper called.

"Good night." Pierce answered and once she had left, he turned to the Winter Soldier.

"Want some milk?" There was no reply but he didn't expect one.

"The timetable has moved. Our window is limited. Two targets, level six." Pierce poured himself a glass of milk and moved to join the Winter Soldier at the table.

"They already cost me Zola. I want confirmed death in ten hours." Renata strode back in, interrupting them, her eyes widening.

"Sorry, Mr. Pierce, I...I forgot my phone." She was staring at the Winter Soldier and Pierce sighed.

"Oh, Renata. I wish you would have knocked." He fired the gun twice and she crumpled to the ground, dead.

"Now, who is that on the couch and how is she of interest?" The Winter Soldier stood, peeling the blanket back, revealing the blonde girl Pierce recognised as Asia Silver, one of the Avengers and one of the best hackers in S.H.I.E.L.D. He whistled softly.

"How the hell did you get a hold of her, she's one of the more elusive members of the Avenger?" The Winter Soldier held out the files.

"She was running encryptions in the abandoned base this morning, she didn't expect company." Pierce nodded,

"Well, this changes things. Well done Soldier, you have done very well. We won't use her for bait, though the two targets would probably come for her, she is very likely to be of use to us in other ways."

He cleared his throat.

"You see, Asia Silver has gifts that she doesn't like sharing, so I am not entirely sure of her gifts, so I need her to show me them, and if she's pitted against you, she will most likely show me just how powerful she is, and you will probably need a bit of help from the 21st century." The Winter Soldier eyed him.

"Will she slow me down?" Pierce shook his head.

"She can corrupt every system known to HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D and even more that neither of our systems can handle. She is a bit of a wildcard and may be hard to handle but she's the closest thing you will have to a proper human and female interaction." The Winter Soldier stared at the girl on the couch, there was an odd longing in his eyes that Pierce didn't know if he liked or not.

"Soldier. She is technically your charge now, be careful with her. I will organise a cell for her that is adjacent to yours. You are to be her teacher in the way of HYDRA, you are able to punish her in a way you see fit." The Winter Soldier blinked.

"But if I get wiped I won't remember her? I will try to kill her." Pierce shook his head.

"No. We will ensure she is committed to your long term memory, this is one Avenger we need on our side now."

The Winter Soldier stood from the table, sliding his gun into it's holster and he picked up the blonde girl, his metal arm going under her back, her head lolling back and Pierce caught sight of the dark bruise visible through her hair on the top of her head. Pierce noticed there was a slight tenderness to the way that the Soldier held the girl as he slipped out. Pierce needed to make sure the Soldier was kept grounded, his only focus on HYDRA and if this girl proved to be a distraction, he would have to kill her, but to his fury, he could not deny that this may have an effect on the Soldier and the involvement of the other Avengers. Maybe keeping the girl alive and in the Winter Soldier's keep was better for the Soldier and for HYDRA.


	4. Hail Silver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hail or hailstones are made up of water ice and can be any size; it can be measured anything from five millimetres and two hundred millimetres. Though, most hail are produced during thunderstorms and heavy rains and aren’t worrying. Hail can be created with strong and upward motions of air but a lower freeze level. Some formations might gather more pressure and create larger balls or lumps of ice water. In some instances, the hail forms inside the interiors of continents but in climates with higher temperatures such as in the tropics, the formation stays at a high elevation level.

Steve and Natasha arrived at Sam's place almost as soon as he had returned from his run. "Hey, man." He greeted studying them.

"I'm sorry about this. We need a place to lay low." Steve informed him.

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us." Nat added helpfully. Sam paused before stepping back to let them enter.

"Not everyone." Steve stepped inside.

"Have you had any word from Asia?" Sam looked thoughtful before he replied.

"No, she sent me a message early one morning a day or so ago. Some huge file labelled with that Marvin Gaye album I recommended to you. I didn't think much of it, is that the last contact you've had with her."

At their nods he grimaced.

"Might be worth checking those files out as soon as possible, you two have untracked phones right?" Steve nodded.

"She sent it to me as well, she made sure no one in S.H.I.E.L.D knew about it only Fury." Sam nodded thoughtfully.

"We'll check them out later, eh?" Later, as they were hanging around in Sam's small living room, Steve noticed Nat's face had moved into a thoughtful mask, as she stared at the floor. "You okay?" Nat nodded, shaking herself.

"Yeah." Steve paused, studying her.

"What's going on?" Nat spoke reluctantly.

"When I first joined SHIELD, I thought it was going straight. But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA. I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but...I guess I can't tell the difference anymore." Steve gave a wry smile.

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business." Nat smiled faintly.

"I owe you." Steve shook his head.

"It's okay." Nat brushed it off.

"If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust me to do it?" Steve nodded.

"I would now. And I'm always honest."

"Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing." Nat chided.

"Well, I guess I just like to know who I'm fighting." Just then, Sam entered from the kitchen. "I made breakfast. If you guys...eat that sort of thing." They sat in Sam's kitchen, eating quietly, Nat was trying to get onto the files Asia had sent but they were too large and she was getting frustrated.

"So, the question is: who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?" Steve swallowed his mouthful.

"Pierce." Nat nodded.

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." Steve hummed.

"But he's not working alone, Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star." Nat shrugged.

"So was Jasper Sitwell." Steve raised his brows.

"So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?" Nat went to answer but then let out a hiss at whatever she had found. 

"Asia found it. Fuck Sitwell. Asia found it all!" They gathered around as Natasha scanned the documents.

"How the hell did she get these encoded? When the fuck did she do this?"

"Zola's algorithm is a program for choosing Insight's targets!" Steve breathed.

"Us, a TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future." Nat gasped.

"Zola taught HYDRA how to read it. Bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates peoples' past to predict their future." Sam whistled.

"Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time. HYDRA doesn't like leaks."

They raced out to the S.H.I.E.L.D vehicle Nat had placed strategically outside and all jumped in, Sam in the back and Nat driving. They headed onto the freeway, moving as quickly as legally possible.

"Insight's launching in sixteen hours, we're cutting it a little bit close here." Steve nodded, "I know. We'll use Jasper Sitwell, the guy from the ship, to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly." There was a solid thud from the roof and then suddenly a hand snaked in, pulling the steering wheel away and throwing the car into chaos.

"Shit!" Sam yelled as Nat began shooting at the soldier but he avoided death by jumping to the car behind them as Steve worked on breaking the door down.

"Hang on!" He yelled and holding Sam and Nat to him, they slide out on the car door into the street below, HYDRA agents and the Winter Soldier immediately beginning to fire at them. The trio scattered, tearing off in different directions. The Winter Soldier took off after Nat, snarling in Russian at the other agents, probably to find Steve.

The Winter Soldier fired at Nat, who swung around and managed to shoot his goggle mask and tore off away from him. He hurried in pursuit of her, whilst Steve and Sam managed to fend off the other agents. Nat flung her phone across, the recording set and she watched as he fell for it, watched him unclip the bomb meant for her and toss it. As it exploded, she leapt at him, bringing the tie cable around his throat. He bucked around, slamming her into over turned cars in order to get her off and eventually, she was flung free. She took off, heading through terrified civilians.

"Get out of the way! Stay out of the way!" There was a gun shot and her shoulder exploded in pain, she had been shot. She fell, the world tilting sickeningly and her vision blurred violently. Steve came out of nowhere, slamming into him and knocking him away from Nat. Steve hurled his shield, and just like a few days prior, the Winter Soldier caught it in his metal arm and tossed it back furiously. The knife skimmed close to Steve's face and he jerked back as the Winter Soldier came at him again and again until Steve managed to hit him square in the face with his shield.

Steve froze. His heart practically stopped beating, his mind a whirlwind.

"Bucky?" Steve said, incredulity coating his voice.

"Who the hell is Bucky?" Bucky snarled. He went to shoot Steve just as Sam landed, throwing Steve to the side. Bucky threw a grenade at Steve, which he deflected with his shield as HYDRA agents spilled out of vehicles, surrounded them.

"Drop the shield, Captain! On your knees! Get on your knees! Now! Get down! Get down! Get on your knees! Down!-" Rumlow kicked Steve's legs and Steve let himself fall.

"Don't move. Put the gun down. Not here. Not here!"

Steve glanced up briefly as they were escorted away and came to an immediate halt. Asia thrashed in Bucky's arms, her eyes wide and terrified, her teeth out and shining like a sharks. He was shoving her into a different vehicle, but she had seen Steve and Sam and Nat and had clearly gone berserk.

"Steve!" He heard her scream.

"Asia!" He called.

"Asia, don't panic. Stay calm! Promise me!" Her eyes were wild and he knew that she was scared.

"Let me talk to her." He demanded.

"I can calm her down. Let me talk to her."

Rumlow sneered.

"Not a chance, Rogers." Steve glowered at him.

"She has PTSD. She's not going to calm down until I get her to." Rumlow flinched and then Steve's eyes returned to Asia and Bucky. His, and Rumlow's, eyes widened. Bucky was talking to Asia in quiet tones, too low that Steve couldn't quite pick it up and his fingers were on her chin and his hand stroking through her hair with a tenderness that made Steve's face scrunch.

"Well, well, well, would you look at that? It seems Winter over there still has a way with women." Steve continued to watch as Bucky pushed a needle into her arm and Asia sagged into him, the metal arm encircling her body before she vanished from his sight.

"It was him. He looked right at me and he didn't even know me. He seemed to know Asia though." They were now locked up in the back of the HYDRA vehicle, escorted by two silent guards.

"How's that even possible? It was like seventy years ago." Sam muttered.

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43, Zola experimented on 'em. Whatever he did, it helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him." Nat shook her head.

"None of that's your fault, Steve." Steve blinked.

"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."

Sam seemed to notice the bleeding in Nat's shoulder then.

"We need to get a doctor here. We don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here in the truck." One of the guards pulled an electric rod out threateningly and then turned on the other guard, knocking him out. The guard pulled off its helmet, and Hill glared out at them.

"That thing was squeezing my brain. Who's this guy?" She asked jerking a finger at Sam.

Asia woke to find herself in bonds, strapped to a chair in what looked like a bank vault. In front of her, the grumpy albeit deliciously handsome scary man sat, also strapped in a chair. There were technicians working around him on the cool metal arm. Asia had decided she wanted one. I mean, imagine having strong ass metal fingers and not having to worry about making your nails good on both sides. Benefits, right?

She was interrupted by the arrival of the traitorous bastard, Alexander Pierce. Bucky stared into space as the tech muttered unintelligible things about the metal arm. Asia noted they were missing a catch somewhere, something that was unnoticeable to the untrained eye but she knew exactly where it needed to go to make sure the arm had fluidity and proper movement. As the tech scrambled for excuses, she coughed loudly.

"Hey, Piercey, I can help you know? They don't keep me around just for decoration you know?" Pierce smiled coldly at her.

"Please allow Miss Silver access to the Soldier." He commanded. A HYDRA agent scuttled over and unlocked her bonds. Asia massaged her wrists, immediately understanding the pain of all those book and film characters. Goddamn that hurt. She made her way over to the metal arm person and slid into the recently vacated spinny chair. She picked up a small scalpel and one of the spare parts lying on the table and made the smallest incision possible, before taking the blue light and pressing the part into the trouble making ridge, before melding it to the rest of the arm.

Bucky reared forward as she did that and as everyone went for their gun, danger flashed across Asia's eyes.

"Hey!" She snapped, glaring at everyone around her.

"You gun happy folks need to take three big steps back." When no one moved she adjusted her tone.

"NOW!" She snarled. They took three biggish steps back before she turned her attention to the soldier. Placing her palms on his bare chest, she pushed in back down onto the chair, humming softly before she locked eyes with him.

"Calm the fuck down iRobot."

His breathing had dropped from a marathon runner's to an extreme meditator's rate in the time she had had contact with his skin to now.

"Name?" She asked, realising what she was doing a moment later. She had unconsciously gone into PTSD recovery mode, as he had done for her earlier. When he answered in a gravelly tone, she nearly melted. Well shit, this 'Winter Soldier had a delicious body, a gorgeous voice and a very useful metal arm, the perfect package she reckoned.

Pierce pushed forward.

"Mission report." Winter didn't look at him, his eyes on the face near Asia's right ear. "Mission report, now." Pierce snapped impatiently. No response. Pierce moved closer and then to Asia's horror and fury, he struck him hard across the face. Before he could do anything else, Pierce was slammed against the opposite wall, Asia hadn't moved but her teeth were out and her fingers burned with the use of air.

Pierce glared at her, and Asia was aware of all the guns pointing at her. She didn't fear guns. The Winter Soldier gave her a confused and scared look as Pierce said.

"Prep him." A scientist, Asia recognised the typical lab coat and glasses, spoke.

"He's been out of cryo-freeze too long." Pierce shook his head.

"Then wipe him and start over." Asia made a strangled noise, staring at Pierce.

"You will do no such thing!" She yelled.

"Soldier, she's a threat." Pierce said, a mad glint in his eyes as the scientist released the soldier, whose eyes had looked onto Asia.

His fingers were cold when they encircled her throat and they burned with cold fire all the way to the pit of her stomach. She thrashed in his hold, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hurt this man, who looked like a kicked puppy and clearly had no idea what he was doing. Because fuck her life. She was refusing to injure super cute soldier guy on moral grounds. Boom, the gates of Heaven had just opened for her.

"Fight back!" Pierce yelled, but Asia shook her head as much as she could around the cold metal fingers. She wasn't going to hurt the Winter Soldier, that much was clear in her fucked up mind. Just as unconsciousness rose in her mind, she felt his fingers slacken, but she allowed herself to slump to the floor, and like a weak little bitch they though she was, she pretended to have succumbed to the allure of sleep.

The Winter Solider released the small blonde girl. Asia, he remembered Pierce called her. He was immediately shoved back by agents and Pierce's angry eyes were all he could fixate on for a moment. Then he let his eyes drift down to the girl who had refused to fight him. He had seen her fight before, they had showed him moving pictures of her, so he could sort out her weaknesses and what she relied on strength-wise. Pierce's order had meant if he refused, it was either pain for him or her, and he had chosen pain for her. Something that tasted absurdly like guilt swelled up in his mind and he let out a low growl.

The agents watched him, in almost pity as he was dragged off to his cell. Rumlow bought the girl and placed her on the top bunk, before sneering at Winter before striding out, the door locking with a click. Winter glared at the ground before he began pulling at the armour coating his chest.

"Y'know, if you weren't so violent, you'd be even more fucking hot." The soldier blinked, startled by the fact that she seemed to be very much conscious. She all but grinned down at him, white teeth glinting in the dull lighting.

He stood slowly, walking towards her and she shrunk back into the bunk.

"The man on the bridge with you? Who was he? I knew him." The girl's eyes went wide for a moment.

"He's called Steve, Steve Rogers. And I have a really bad feeling about who you are." She tossed herself from the bunk, landing in superhero stance beside him, would have made Wade proud she reckoned, before she stood and gave him a look up and down, before reaching up and startling him, by pushing his hair back off his face. She squished his cheeks in, staring up at him with a look of total concentration on her now solemn face.

"Holy shit. You're Bucky Barnes. Well, you are actually James Barnes, but Stevie calls you Bucky. Steve's your best friend you see. Well, he's my best friend now so we're gonna have to share but-" He put a hand over her mouth.

"Shut up. Your lying." Asia stared at him for a long moment before he felt something wet against his palm and shoved her away from him, wiping his palm on his pant leg. She poked her tongue out at him again and he glared at her. She smirked.

"It's the truth Bucky. Why would I lie?"

She held out a rectangular device, which held a picture on it. It was like looking in a mirror, but the reflection had shorter hair and was smiling, as he stood next to a blonde man, the man from the bridge. He sucked in a breath, his eyes flicking up to the blonde girl, whose face had smoothed out and all the laughter and the mischievousness had vanished. She was not lying.

"Why do they want me to kill him then?" Asia shook her head, but he didn't expect her to speak. She opened her mouth slowly, as though she didn't want him to know.

"Captain America, Steve Rogers, is a threat to HYDRA. Natasha Romanoff is a threat to HYDRA, Sam Wilson is a threat to HYDRA. I am a threat to HYDRA. Anyone who is a threat to HYDRA, they kill off. We know the truth and we are all willing to get it out to the world, what happened to S.H.I.E.L.D and what HYDRA did. You are their weapon, but if you chose us, you could help us." Bucky shook his head angrily, as though trying to block her words out.

"No. No! I cannot, I will not." The girl didn't push him, she merely stepped back, walking back to her bunk. Her face was one of disappointment and sadness but as he watched, it smoothed over as though nothing had occurred.

Dark eyes met his from her bunk as she turned over, her back facing him. He began to pace, anger fuelling his steps. It must have been hours until the door creaked open slowly, and Bucky's eyes flicked to the entrance. Rumlow and Pierce stood in the entrance, eyes surveying the room. Asia was still a small, dark lump on the top bunk and they both gazed curiously at Bucky.

"Soldier, is she alive?" He nodded, not meeting their eyes.

"Verbally, Solder." Pierce snapped.

"Yes, sir." Bucky replied. Asia rolled over in her bunk, glaring down at them.

"Don't speak to him like that." She vaulted from the bunk, like she had done earlier, but didn't land like she had before, mostly because she could practically hear Wade's voice in her ear.

"Superhero landing!" That bald asshole would trill and smirk at her. Fuck that, she didn't wanna be too predictable. Instead, she got in Pierce's face.

"You don't talk to other people like that mate, even if they are super cute people with floppy hair or people whose faces look like a really dried out avocado."

This earned her three confused, well Bucky had the ultra confused state anyway so maybe it was only the two confused stares. Pierce coughed abruptly.

"You are coming to help us train our other two enhanced, they are not like Winter here, they don't have to be wiped and they are completely willing." Asia scoffed.

"That never ends well Alexander." She sneered at him, hoping to piss him off. It didn't work, dammit, he kept that stupid smirk on his face and she debated hitting him, but then Bucky would probably intervene and that would mean pain. And Asia did not like unnecessary pain.

Instead, she resumed a position that radiated a relaxed aura, crossing her arms gave out bad vibes, and pushed up her boobs, and as much as these men were trained, they were men and she was not going to be some sex toy in the minds of any of these bastards. Training her gaze on the floor, she awaited Pierce's lengthy lecture, one that she was sure she would not pay any attention whatsoever to, but noticed when there was gunfire somewhere she couldn't see, Bucky inched closer to her.

Well well well. It seemed allegiances had shifted. She knew it was way, way too soon to expect any memory recall from Steve's little snowflake buddy, but the fact that he had either, moved to protect or for comfort towards her made her warm to him even more than his delectable looks did.

"Soldier will escort you there, and more or less baby sit you, we are all aware of what you are capable of and we do-" Asia stopped Pierce's words with a raised hand.

"Ask me if I give a fuck. Come on Snowflake, lets roll."

She held the raised hand out to Bucky, who stared at it. Asia groaned loudly, snatching his metal hand up and yanking him behind her, swearing loudly as he resisted, until she gave him a sharp tug and he must have gotten a nod from Pierce, because he fell into step with her. She saw him glance at her fingers, which she had gripped tightly around the metal of his hand. Asia didn't really give two shits that he was uncomfortable, he needed human contact, everyone did, otherwise they went as stir crazy as she had when she'd been isolated with Wade in Francis' workshop.

His hands were a little bigger than hers, and the metal was cold against her skin. She looked up at him, aware she looked a little on the psycho side right now.

"You can't let him talk to you like that. You are a person and he treats you like a machine." Bucky opened his mouth, closed it, thought about it and then spoke up.

"I am though. That's all I am to them." Asia's eyes glinted wickedly and she shoved him into a room that was startlingly empty.

Raising up on her toes, she cupped his face in her hands and pressed her mouth to his. Bucky stilled completely, his entire being radiating something that could have been fear or uncertainty. Asia hoped it was the latter, as she kissed a path down to his jaw before suddenly his arms were around her, locking her in place. She waited, waited for the snap she had presumed would happen, but it was as if she had opened something in Bucky, who seemed to be hyperaware of her all of a sudden.

She pulled away from him, breathing softly.

"Do machines react like that?" She asked him. Bucky flushed, clearly realising she had only been trying to prove a point, but she grabbed his jaw, that beautiful, sharp, delicious jaw and made him look at her.

"Hey. For an old man, you're an amazing kisser. Also you're fucking hot and it's taking all my will power and the fact that I have only slept with like one guy not to jump you."

Bucky looked confused for 2.5 seconds before it happened. Asia's mouth fell open, and for once, she was speechless. The slow smirk that had drifted across the Winter Soldier's mouth was sexier than Steve's holier-than-thou ass. Holy fucking shit. She could stare at a smirking Bucky all day, he looked like sex on legs with a side of his Adonis of a body and that jaw and those eyes-

"Fuck." Asia spat.

"If I was a guy I would have such a massive hard on right now."

Bucky looked adorably confused.

"And don't ever smirk at me like that again without giving me some kinda warning. Do you know the effect that has on me? Jesus fuck I would be so down to do just about anything for you because damn son, that lil smirky smirk is killing me." Asia fanned herself dramatically and watched the blush rise in the Winter Soldier's cheeks. She glanced around, becoming aware of her surroundings again.

"Okay cupcake, we gotta haul ass. Pierce's gonna have our asses if we don't show these kidlets some attention." He was still staring, a little lost at her. Asia trailed her hand down his abdomen and almost moaned aloud when she felt the rigid muscles beneath the leather armour shit he was wearing. Then she let her hand drop lower and placed a gentle stroke on something bigger and harder than she expected. Bucky let out a throaty moan and it was Asia's turn to blush.

"If I give you another kiss, promise you won't tell anyone I did that?"

He kissed her this time, and it was different from the first one. There was a slow, steady kinda feel to this one. Bucky wrapped his arm around her, his hands, one cold on her spine and the other, lower, warm above her tailbone. Damn right she could get used to this. Finally, she broke the kiss.

"Snowflake we need to goooo!" Lacing her fingers with the metal ones again, she pulled him after her as they raced towards the training facilities.

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, "Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility." See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues." Fury told Nat and Steve, as Hill watched on from her perch a few feet away.

"We have to stop the launch." Nat said, her eyes darkening, Fury's mouth quirked.

"I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore." Fury opened a briefcase and they all peered in at the three chips sitting in the case.

"What's that?" Sam asked the million dollar question, as Steve had no idea.

"Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized." Maria informed them. Nick nodded.

"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own." Steve and Sam exchanged a quick glance, too quick for any of the others to interpret.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die." Hill sounded remotely upset, which was a stretch from the normal unemotional canvas that the agent usually rocked.

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left-" Steve interrupted Fury.

"We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury gave him a long, measured look.

"S.H.I.E.L.D had nothing to do with it." Steve scoffed, wishing Asia was with him for backup sass.

"You gave me this mission, this is how it ends. S.H.I.E.L.D's been compromised, you've said so yourself. HYDRA was right under your nose and nobody noticed."

"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed." Fury said irritably and Steve's eyes flashed.

"And how many paid the price before you did? My oldest best friend doesn't know who I am and my newer best friend is in their clutches, probably trying to get herself killed because she can't shut her goddamn mouth but she didn't deserve any of this, she didn't deserve to join and then the whole operation be pulled from under her." Fury sighed.

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes. And Asia can handle herself, much better than any of you give her credit for. She was able to decode those files and warn you but subtly so that HYDRA didn't even realise what she was doing."

"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? S.H.I.E.L.D, HYDRA, it all goes." Steve snapped.

"He's right." Fury looked towards Nat, who was an unyielding face of fury, then towards Sam, who held up his hands.

"Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower." Fury's brows arched slightly.

"Well. Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."


	5. Diamond White

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Diamond is an allotrope (different form) of carbon. The word diamond comes from the Greek word meaning unbreakable.  
> The carbon atoms in diamonds are arranged in a strong, tetrahedral structure. Diamond is the hardest natural material known and is often used for industrial cutting and polishing tools.

Nat was super undercover. She hated the itchy dress, the bland wig and the general anger that surrounded the facial tech on her face. Alexander Pierce strolled over and Nat worked to keep her features under control.

"And how was your flight?" Pierce asked. God she loathed him.

"Lovely. The ride from the airport less so." She said, keeping the venom from her voice as much she could stand to.

"Sadly, SHIELD can't control everything." Pierce replied, his features unchanged by her slight display of hostility.

"Including Captain America." Rockwell snapped as Pierce headed towards a guard, who handed him a case containing four pins.

"This facility is biometrically controlled, and these will give you unrestricted access." Nat took hers, using the pad of her thumb to press the deactivator for the pin's electromagnetic charge.

"I know the road hasn't exactly been smooth, and some of you would have gladly kicked me out of the car along the way. Finally we're here, and the world should be grateful."

He handed out champagne glasses and they began toasting to it when suddenly, Steve Rogers' voice crackled across the building.

"Attention, all S.H.I.E.L.D agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. S.H.I.E.L.D is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building."

Nat's eyes flashed in triumph as Pierce's face drained of colour.

"They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot the Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

There was silence in the room and Nat could feel the now palpable tension.

"You smug son of a bitch." Rockwell snarled as two HYDRA agents entered the room, pointing guns at the councilmen.

"Arrest him." Singh called, but it seemed these were indeed HYDRA, not S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Nat swallowed hard as the agents raised their guns at them, this was going to be more difficult than expected.

 

Asia was training with Pietro and Wanda when they came to escort Bucky out. She stood from her fighting stance, wiping at the sweat that had gathered on her brow and eyed the agents who held their guns in front of them like they were afraid of her. Good, they should be afraid of her.

"Where are you taking him?" She snapped, her eyes now trained on Bucky.

"He is needed at the Triskelion."

Asia swore under her breath, she had heard murmurings of what was going to go down and had actually, for the first time in her life, prayed to God that Steve and Sam and Nat were going to be okay. Her eyes met Bucky's, she was very aware that this was possibly the last time she would see the guy she really badly wanted to call friend. Hell, she'd like to call him more than friend, but she didn't want to get too invested in someone they wiped periodically.

It was odd. Her feelings for Bucky had escalated from one to a hundred real damn fast. There was something familiar about him, something comforting, just like the comfort she found in Steve and it was something Asia was not willing to part with. She wasn't sure why she had sudden feelings as such for a man who took her by force, this was not a shitty kidnapping romance dammit, but he was so attractive and she had a weakness for attractive men. And hell if she was letting any other woman near this cute little snowflake.

She didn't bother asking if she could come, if would be a hard no, because escaping would be too easy and Steve would probably swoop her up and save her.

"Promise me you'll come back?" She asked, her fingers light against his metal arm. He seemed aware of such contact, as she tugged a necklace over her head with difficulty before she put it around his neck. It was the dog tags she had nicked from Steve a long time ago, had never admitted to taking but she reckoned he knew.

They were Bucky's, she knew that now. She had been wearing them for as long as she had found them and it seemed right to return them to their owner. Plus it meant Steve would realise that Bucky was, in Asia's mind, hers now and he wouldn't decide to go all cute and gay on her when his 'best friend' returned. Bucky held her gaze, his blue eyes bright with unguarded curiosity.

"Those are yours." She said quietly.

"Thought it was about time I returned them to you."

Bucky cocked his head like a cute lil puppy dog and tears nearly came to her eyes. Goddammit Asia you are a strong independent woman that's depending on the survival of an assassin who hit you in the back of the head and choked you. Fucking kinky shit though, Asia realised this may be a bad way to start a relationship, revealing too much about a possible sex life. His metal fingers wrapping around her wrist briefly brought her out of the dirtier part of her mind and she shook herself.

"Good luck." She murmured, not meeting his eyes, not because she was sad but because she was afraid he would see the sexual thoughts passing through her brain if he stared hard enough at her. He nodded, feigning indifference, but his fingers beat a sweet tempo on the inside of her wrist.

"I'll come back for you." He said, voice no higher than if he had breathed. She nodded, excitement thrilling her veins, and as he turned to go, she spoke again.

"Hey snowflake? Remember who the real enemy is."

She turned around, forcing a smile onto her face quickly.

"Pietro I need you practising your aim, you aren't going to be able roadrunner around your entire life sweetheart." The blonde guy shot her a smirk as he stopped, loading the gun she had assigned him to before turning back to the targets she had set him to work with. Meanwhile, Wanda was moving things around again and as much as Asia had grown to like these children in the few hours she had known them, Asia wanted to stab the both of them.

Pietro was a little shit and kept whizzing past and leaving highspeed kisses on her cheeks and forehead, much to Asia's amusement and annoyance, Bucky hadn't noticed thank the Gods. And Wanda was a lil cutie that kept smashing things. She was gorgeous but she had a childish habit and liked breaking things. Pietro was firing at the targets as quickly as the gun allowed him and Asia, sighing loudly, turned to Wanda.

"Show me what you can do." She called, and the girl nodded, smiling and then her red magic fizzed around Asia, lifting her off the ground. Asia ground her teeth together but said nothing, instead taking the chance to channel her own energy and sent it burning down back at Wanda causing the smaller girl to squeal and Asia hit the ground in a tiger crouch, before she stood, running her fingers through her hair before she tied it into a tiny lil bun at the back of her neck and then she pulled the lighter out.

She flicked it on and slid a hand over the tiny flame.

"Ready Wanda?" Wanda nodded and Asia flung the jet of fire at her, feeling very Last Airbender as she did so. Wanda ducked and flung out red energy and Asia smirked as she threw multiple streams of fire at the girl, who was managing, with a bit of difficulty, to fend off the blonde girl. Eventually, Wanda weakened and with a shudder, Asia released the pent up power and let herself slump in her stance.

"Good talk." She mumbled, as her energy deserted her. Wanda laughed and the two sat down together to watch Pietro shoot things.

 

"Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam called over to Steve, as they jogged across the helicarrier, clutching guns to their chests, an unusual urgency clinging to the air around them.

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad." Sam rolled his eyes at Steve before jetting off in the Falcon suit. Steve headed down, ducking the shots of the HYDRA agents that pursued him, raising his shield to deflect the bullets.

Sam's voice crackled over his earpiece.

"Hey, Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about." Steve raised a brow.

"You okay?" There was silence for several heartbeats, then.

"Not dead yet." Sam continued his attempts at getting to the Helicarrier bay, as he was continually shot at.

"Falcon, status?" Maria called over the earpieces.

"Engaging." Sam replied, flying into the bay at such an angle that the HYDRA jets came crashing down and he grinned.

"Alright, Cap, I'm in."

As soon as he spoke, another jet moved to engage him and he yelped.

"Shit!" He spiralled downwards almost coming out of control of his wings but snapped up just in time to avoid getting hit. Meanwhile, Steve had encountered more HYDRA agents upon an attempted entry to the Helicarrier and groaned aloud when Maria spoke again, "Eight minutes, Cap." He slammed the shield into the skull of the remaining HYDRA agent and heard the solid thud before the man hit the ground hard and he answered Maria, "Working on it."

"Alpha locked." Steve said, glancing across the Helicarrier. Maria spoke.

"Falcon, where are you now?" Sam flew towards one of the Helicarriers, heat seeking missiles hot on his tail.

"I had to take a detour!" He ducked, and one slammed into the Helicarrier, creating an entrance thanks to the explosion.

"Oh, yeah! Bravo locked." He called, landing briefly in the carrier before jetting out.

"Two down, one to go." Hill sounded relieved.

A new voice piped up over their earpieces.

"Charlie Carrier's forty-five degrees off the port bow. Y'all better move faster than that. You got six minutes motherfuckers." Steve grinned as he searched the skies quickly.

"Hey, Sam, I'm gonna need a ride." Asia made an angry sound.

"Hey, I get catnapped and you don't even acknowledge my return." Steve managed a laugh before Sam replied, "Roger! Let me know when you're ready." Spotting the HYDRA agent, Steve jumped, as the missile exploded into where he was standing.

"I just did!" Steve yelled and Asia laughed. Sam shot downwards and caught hold of Steve, yanking him upwards. "You know, you might not wanna do that." Asia cautioned, and for the first time, Steve picked up something else in her voice before Sam dropped Steve off onto the Helicarrier.

"You know, you're a lot heavier than you look." Steve glared at him.

"I had a big breakfast."

He was about to move into a jog when the Winter Soldier appeared from nowhere and shoved him back with a strength that shoved him over the edge. He heard Asia call his name, and she was no longer over the ear pieces, she was being yanked forward by two HYDRA agents. Sam dived after him, as the Winter Soldier whirled around at the sound of the now familiar voice. Sam shoved Steve back, landing beside him as the Winter Soldier seemed to forget where to look.

Steve cocked his head.

"Bucky!" The Winter Soldier seemed at war with himself, his hands twitching and he shook his head as though there was a noise going on in his brain that only he could hear.

"Don't!" He roared, shaking free of the hysteria. Asia chose that moment to sink her teeth into one of the HYDRA agents, slam her fist into the others groin before rolling free and sprinting towards the edge as the one she bit chased her.

He cornered her on the edge and it was then that Steve realised the game she was playing. He had seen her do this many times but this was a deadly game.

"Asia!" Steve and Sam stared at the Winter Soldier, who seemed to have broken from his trance and was angling himself towards Asia, whose eyes were wide with fear as the HYDRA agent got closer and closer. Steve swallowed bitterness as he realised this was real fear.

"Go." Sam hissed.

"She's being a distraction. Steve go! I'll hold them off."

Steve hesitated but Asia's wild eyes met his and she gave the smallest nod before punching out at the agent who ducked and slammed into her, sending her to the ground and skidding towards the edge. She grabbed onto it and suddenly slipped, hanging in mid-air by nothing but her fingertips. How fucking cliché. Something so cliché is clearly not going to be the end of Asia Silver, y'all know that right? Come on, get with it.

Steve moved then, pushing his legs into a run as to his amazement, the Winter Soldier turned his full attention to Asia, who was hanging from the edge with a look of pure fear plastered over her features. Steve ran into the building, heard the Winter Soldier start after him then he swung around in case the Winter Soldier actually attacked him and then Asia let go.

"Bucky!" She screamed and the Winter Soldier swung and moving faster than Steve had ever seen swung himself off the edge of the Helicarrier, into process kicking into Sam's wing and knocking him into free fall and then the Winter Soldier vanished after Asia.


	6. Sunset Orange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At sunset, the light must travel through more of the atmosphere before the rays get to you. By more atmosphere, that means more molecules which scatter the blue and violet light. If the path is long enough, the blue and violet lights go further than our eye can see. This leaves the pink, orange and red colours for us to look at. That's why sunsets are usually pink, orange and red.

Asia knew her plan was stupid. Like shit, what if he hadn't fallen for it. Very dead Asia, that's what would have become of that. Fuck she was still falling. Bucky you asshole you were supposed to be my knight in- His arms surrounded her, the cool metal around her waist as they landed on the lower part of the Helicarrier and motherfucking shit that was where Steve needed to be.

She was going to have to take the distractions to another level. Fuck she didn't have any condoms. Why the fuck was she so stupid? Why the fuck did she always need to come and help everyone out? Why the fuck is the heroine always supposed to kick butt and also get laid and do those totally cringeworthy kisses with the 'hero', who was demoting from the heroine's status as butt-kicker. Nah uh fuck that. Despite popular belief and the event that occurred merely seconds prior, Asia didn't need no man.

Actually yeah she fucking did. She needed this cute lil butt with his fluff hair and his lil baby bun and his beautiful blue eyes and sexy smirky smirk. She realised that she had been thinking loudly and he could probably read her thoughts. Shit shit shit. Asia looked up at him. They were in that cute/convenient position the reluctant girl and the horny guy always end up in and then they make out and she takes her clothes off then he does and they look at each other like oooh boy you fine and damn girl that ass, them titties and then boom. Screen goes black and everyone knows exactly what they did. Cough, baby making time, cough.

Asia growled and flipped them over, so she was on top of Bucky, who seemed to be in a daze. Well, not that she minded. She lowered her mouth to his ear and making sure to blow gently into his ear, erotic I know, whispered.

"Did you miss me big guy?" She slid her hand to the other big guy and smirked when his eyes widened but then he did the thing. Asia felt everything in her go rigid and -Fuck a duck, her nipples were about to make an appearance.

Why did he have to do the smirky smirk? She loved the smirk and the face and the hair and the butt and from what she had felt, she liked the dick as well. And he was adorable. Dammit they were in the middle of a battle Asia why are you horny? They both seemed to realise that at the same time, also at this time, Steve had the cliqued discovery of the key to destroying the targeting ships. And he fucking yelled it.

"I'm in."

"Fucking dumbass." Asia hissed and then yelped as she was slammed against the wall and her wrist violently cuffed to the nearest larger than her object. Bucky stared at her long and hard.

"Stay here until I come and get you." Asia frowned, giving him puppy dog eyes and he glared at her. Wow shit why was he pissed? He turned to walk away, and she let out a loud scream.

"STEVE look out!"

Bucky vanished immediately and Asia hoped to god he had heard her before remembering something.

"Sam, does your full and intact ass copy?" There was silence and she almost continued to cry but then she heard him.

"Yeah, I'm okay Asia, I landed on the roof and am now engaging Rumlow. Stay safe girl, this guy is metal." She tried to laugh before succeeding in pulling her wrist free of the cuffs. Goddamn she hated cuffs, they were officially her least favourite thing. She massaged her wrist before hurrying after Bucky.

Steve heard Asia's scream, alerting him that both Bucky and Asia were close. So Bucky had saved her and let her live? That was news to him. He heard the soft footsteps then, as he concentrated and spun around, letting his shield meet the metal of Bucky's fist. Before he hurried up to the chip port, he hadn't succeeded in putting the last one in.

"People are gonna die, Buck. I can't let that happen." Bucky stared at him coldly and Steve wanted to wince.

Steve sighed softly.

"Before we begin, where's Asia and what have-" He noticed something then around Bucky's neck were his dog tags. Asia had stolen them off Steve a long time ago. If Bucky had them, that meant that Bucky and Asia had communicated.

"Why do you have them?" Steve yelled. Bucky looked confused for a moment and that was all it took for Asia to come out of nowhere and koala hug Bucky, pinning his limbs down as she clung to him tightly. Bucky bucked(HA), attempting to get the joey off of him, but Asia was like a limpet, she clung to him tightly.

He seemed to realise who it was, whether it was through her little tiny bun smacking him the face or the fact that she was the first person he had met that didn't smell like metal or blood or chemicals. Not gonna lie, she did smell like blood and some of us don't have 'battle and HYDRA capture proof deodorant. But we do have our favourite perfumes and Asia always wore a really super flirty/fruity/sugary sweet one. Yeah, yeah, she should be wearing something more tough, but it was JLo and smelled like fairies had an affair with fruit and sparkles. And Bucky could recognise that scent because she was the first to smell different.

"Get off me Asia." Bucky snarled, using a tone he had not previously let Asia here. This was the deadly tone. She blinked at hi, confused as to who the fuck he thought he was talking to like that.

"Um, why no." She said and then his eyes darkened and she knew she fucked up. Asia hit the wall hard and screamed as the glass her leg crashed into shattered. The shards trickled out and Steve stared in brief horror at his unmoving friend. Her eyes were closed and he knew the difference between sleeping Asia and 'I'm awake and will fuck you up if you come near me because I'm pretending to sleep that means I'm trying to get to sleep.'

"Asia!" He said, his voice choked and then Bucky slammed into him, eyes burning with fury. Steve dropped the chip in his hand and yanked his shield up just as Bucky got a knife over and stabbed it into Steve's shoulder before snatching up the chip. He made the mistake of glancing hesitantly at Asia and Steve yanked the knife out with a snarl and grabbed Bucky by the throat, dragging him down.

"Drop it! Drop it!" Bucky glared at him and Steve watched his eyes flicker to Asia.

"Drop it!" Steve roared, jealousy raging in him. He was not jealous of someone liking Asia, but he would have preferred if Bucky remembered him and not Asia.

Bucky went limp and Steve grabbed the chip, heading back to the port. Maria's voice came from his nearly broken ear piece, "One minute." Steve was almost up when a gun fired and he knew who it was when pain spread across his mind. Bucky was conscious again. That was bloody quick, as Asia was still very obviously out cold. "Thirty seconds, Cap!" Maria yelled and Steve made it, crawling to the port, "Stand by." He pulled the HYDRA chip out and then Bucky shot again, this time the bullet found a home in Steve's stomach and he fell.

Through some miracle and maybe because he saw Asia's eyelids fluttering, Steve got up, jamming the chip in where it belonged. "Charlie locked." Maria sounded pleased, "Okay, Cap, get out of there." Steve shook his head, "Fire now. I can't get out just yet." Maria spoke with reluctance, "But, Steve..." He gripped his stomach, "Do it! Do it now!" Hill sighed and then the Helicarriers opened fire on eachother.

The entire building seemed to explode on them and the two super soldier were near buried under rubble. Steve managed to wiggle free and moved to help his old best friend, pulling him free.

"You know me." Bucky lashed out.

"No, I don't!" Steve stared at him.

"Bucky, you've known me your whole life." Bucky punched him, but Steve wasn't going to fight him, he knew that. Bucky shook with anger.

"No, I don't!" Steve coughed hollowly.

"Bucky, you've known me your whole life." Bucky hit him again, another unreciprocated blow.

"Your name is James Buchanan Barnes." Steve told him. Bucky's eyes flashed and he punched Steve yet again.

"Shut up!" Steve took off his mask then, letting his shield drop. Fucking hero lil bitch jesus. "I'm not gonna fight you. You're my friend." Bucky threw him to the ground, they were close to Asia, who was still in dreamworld and had a leg pinned beneath rubble.

"You're my mission." Bucky roared, beginning to punch Steve across the face.

"You're my mission!"

Steve looked up at him, eyes wide and blue.

"Then finish it. Asia's not going to survive if you don't get her out." Bucky hesitated, eyes flickering side to side.

"I'm with you to the end of the line." Steve said and Bucky stared at him, a strange expression on his face. Then, he moved, away from Steve and used his metal arm to dig Asia out before the bottom of the Helicarrier dropped from beneath them.

Asia woke when she hit the water. Why the fuck was she in water? The confusion momentarily took her primary focus from the pain in her right leg and then, as she found herself hanging weightlessly and helplessly in the lake, did she scream. Angry air bubbles spilled from her mouth and she glared around the murky depths, before realised she probably should go breath, she didn't need to, but like she should, to try look normal and not be an unrelatable heroine.

Using her working leg, she pushed to the surface just in time to see Bucky dragging Steve out, before his eyes swept the lake, finding her. He swam over as she spewed water from her mouth in anger. She spat some at him as his arms went around her for the millionth time today and he swam he to shore. She didn't even bother trying to stand. It was gonna hurt, she knew. Bucky glanced at her and she held out her arms like a child, begging to be picked up and carried.

He pulled her into his arms with a cute little gentleness that made her smile despite herself. Then he began to walk away. 

"WHOA! Where are we going?" She yelled in his ear, causing him to glare at her and squish one of her cheeks. 

"Why are we leaving Steve?" Bucky shook his head, tightening his arms around her tightly as she began to struggle violently, trying to get back to her best friend. He wouldn't let her go though, and they slipped into the dusk quickly.

 

The apartment was small but it was off the grid. Asia had made sure of that and several lines of code meant that HYDRA would be looking in one country and S.H.I.E.L.D in another. Damn she was good. Her and Bucky also had new alias', Egypt Bronze and William Shed. It wouldn't take much for them to get the irony of the names but for the moment, she had a right leg with shit loads of pins in it because, even after her dramatic anger, it had only been a twisted ankle. Nothing cool like a broken leg. A twisted fucking ankle.

It had eased Bucky's guilt a bit more, and for that she was grateful. She wasn't made, why would she be mad. She was glad that all of her mates had made it out. She had done extensive research, and had subtly reached out to Natasha and Steve with news that her and Bucky were alive and she would be joining the Avengers the next time they needed her help, but for the time being, she and Bucky were dipping, like cockroaches who've seen you approaching with a shoe.

Meanwhile, Asia had begun teaching Bucky many thing about the 21st century, it was really amusing and provided entertainment for hours. She hadn't quite gotten around to anything sexual yet, mostly because although Bucky was defiantly not a virgin, not with that body Jesus Christ, but because they were kinda a thing but not like a couple yet and she was not shattering the cute lil thing they had because she was horny as shit thinking about what those metal fingers could do.


	7. Emerald Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) coloured green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale. Most emeralds are highly included so their toughness (resistance to breakage) is classified as generally poor.

Bucky hated the music Asia played when she was angry. It would have been okay if she listened to different things every time she got mad, which, over about two years, had been less than he could have imagined. But it was always with the same music. Not the thing she called, ‘death metal’ that they sometimes played in the club that the pair frequented on Friday nights, not ‘pop’ the music of choice for teens and angry twenty year olds alike. No, this music was haunting, beautifully tragic ballads that made him want to punch something.

He knew better than to try and talk to her. She had had about 5 ‘bitch fits’ since she had first adopted him into their undetectable little apartment in the CBC and each one had got steadily worse. She usually apologised, but this morning he had had a nightmare and woken up to find his fingers laced around her throat. He hadn’t recognised her immediately and had flung her away from him, snarling about HYDRA.

He had clearly frightened her to the point when he had come to his senses, she had retreated away from him so fast she had tripped and fallen back onto her bed, that he was currently sleeping in, as she had decided she could put up with him for the most part and he knew that he liked her much more than he felt like admitting.

With a burst of unforeseen courage, he pushed the door to the bedroom open, and saw her curled up in the bed, blankets caged around her. Her red eyes found him and she shivered before he walked over, slowly, as so not to startle her. He picked up her iPhone, he had one too and he often accidentally took hers but the password was and had been as long as he knew her, his name, well what she called him. 

James. She called him Bucky yes, but James was often what slipped out, and her nickname for him in her phone was Jem, and so that was her password. He turned Phildel’s slightly depressing tune off before he sat down on the bed beside her, and cautiously, not really knowing what to do, placed a hand on the small of her back, before rubbing gentle circles into the base of her spine.

She hooked an arm around his neck and he helped her lift into his lap, before she curled in him, and he brought his metal arm around her, encasing her in warmth and protecting her with cold. 

“I’m sorry I got angry. And threw a bitch fit. And kicked you out of the room. It probably will happen again but-“ He cut the almost apology off by pressing his lips to hers, a bold move that startled her enough to shut up.

He was always so warm and gentle and comforting and when he kissed her, it felt like nothing she had ever experienced. Asia didn’t get the bullshit fireworks or the fucking bombs or anything, but her mind filled with the most glorious feeling and she was completely and utterly distracted from anything else in the world. Soppy, right? At least it wasn’t those fucking stereotypical and overused similes like fireworks or were they metaphors, either way, fucking bullshit.

Bucky tasted like cinnamon toothpaste and he smelled like her shampoo, he refused to let her buy him manly shampoo so instead he used fucking vanilla and shea butter shampoo and conditioner like the goddamn man he was. She wasn’t complaining, he smelled delicious. She was teaching him good habits, deodorant, aftershave, cologne and before he went anywhere, brush them teeth for god's sake. They were interrupted, predictably, by Asia’s phone buzzing. Bucky moved to turn it to silent but Asia spotted Steve’s name. 

“Nah uh!” She yelped, diving for the phone and pressing it to her ear.

“Stevie!” She heard his familiar chuckle.

“Hey, we just all had a successful mission, so we are celebrating, I know you couldn’t come to help mission-wise, but do you wanna come party?” Asia grinned. 

“When and where and can I bring an incognito date?” There was a pause, then. 

“Sure, see you six thirty at Stark Tower.” She grinned. 

“Awesome, bye Steve!” Her eyes met Bucky’s, who looked wary. 

“Party time!” Holding up the tux she had bought Bucky months ago, she handed it to him. 

“I have to go get ready. Also you are getting a haircut asap. Gimme 20 minutes.” Of course twenty minutes meant an hour, even Bucky knew that, so he took a shower in the other bathroom and then got a work with cutting his hair. She had cut it a while ago, but they had let it grow long because Asia liked that they had similar hair lengths, but hers had grown as well so it had been to no avail.

As usual, the tux was all black, matched with a black tie, so he knew Asia would be in black, her favoured colour when it came to parties. At home she loved grey track pants and stealing the hoodies she bought him, it was quite comical as the sleeves hung over her fingertips and they came down to mid thigh. She would always flop the sleeves around and smack him with them, until one day she flopped him in the face from behind and he tied the sleeves together so she couldn’t get away and she had to follow him around the apartment until she worked out how to get out.

He smiled at the memory, then heard her from the upstairs bathroom scream. 

“Done!” He grinned and headed out into the kitchen to get water, he poured it out from the bottle of mineral water, turned around and nearly dropped the glass. She looked gorgeous, in a high collared casual black jumpsuit that clung to her body and black strappy heels. She squealed and rushed up to him, stroking his hair happily before running her fingers over his five o clock shadow, which he had left because he knew she found it sexy and then she kissed his mouth quickly before handing him a pair of glasses. 

“Tonight’s disguise!”

He slipped the glasses on, they were just normal glass he discovered and then she grabbed her phone and his and put them in her cute bag thing and then she grinned up at him. 

“Let’s roll Snowflake.” She held out her free hand and he took it, letting her pull him out with her. He could her cool rings against his real fingers, then he realised, he had forgotten to cover his arm. She had remembered it seemed, because when they got to her car, she handed him a cast and began to wrap his metal fingers in bandage before they slipped the cast over the top.

She began to drive, flicking the radio on to her usual station. Bucky heard a song then that he recognised and began to sing quietly along, before realising that she was staring at him. “You know the lyrics to Summertime Sadness!” She squealed and he smiled bashfully, ducking his head. She seemed to remember something then. 

“Tonight, your name is Jem. Jem Herondale. You are my boyfriend and we met through Wade.” 

Bucky nodded, he had met Wade several times, and although at first they hadn’t been keen on each other, Asia was persistent and eventually that had come to a mutual agreement that they were fond of eachother, but only in her presence. Although Wade did check up on Bucky and did work him through sets of PTSD exercises, which Asia was eternally grateful for.

They reached Stark Tower and Bucky realised just how nervous he was. Warm fingers curled around his own and Asia’s eyes met his. 

“Don’t worry. Steve’s gonna be there, so you can have a chat, but don’t talk to anyone I don’t introduce you to. We’re gonna be okay Jem.” She kissed his mouth gently before slipping out of the car and beckoning him to follow.

Stark Tower was lit, Asia thought as they stepped into the lift. JARVIS greeted them as warmly as an AI could. 

“Good evening Miss Silver and guest.” Asia smiled. 

“Hi JARVIS.” Bucky looked puzzled and she grinned, I’ll tell you later Jem.” He nodded and they shared a look before the doors opened and Tony smiled out at them. 

“Asia, my little electric current, I have missed seeing your gorgeous face.” Bucky’s grip on Asia’s fingers tightened and he pushed Asia behind him slightly. Asia smirked at Tony.

“Maybe next time old man. I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, a friend of Wade’s who I had the pleasure of running into naked at Wade’s. Tony, meet Jem Herondale. Do not attempt to scare him for the love of god I will rip your balls off.” Tony looked Bucky up and down and gave Asia an approving smile. 

“Well done little one, he’s hot. Let’s hope he puts out and I get cute nieces and nephews!” Asia winked at him before pushing Bucky ahead of her as he gave Tony a confused look. 

“What-“ Asia giggled. 

“Don’t ask!” She pushed him over to Steve, whose eyes lit up when he saw the both of them. He hugged first Asia and then held out a hand to Bucky who smiled in a terrified fashion. 

“Steve, this is my boyfriend, James, but he goes by Jem,” Asia told him slowly as Steve stared excitedly at Bucky. Oh boy, this better get her fucking brownie points with Steve, she had been ditching him, poor baby.

“Well, you know, the suit can take the weight, right? So I take the tank, fly it right up to the General's palace, drop it at his feet, I'm like, "Boom! You looking for this?"” Asia and Bucky joined the end of James Rhodes conversation, noting the blank looks on Tony and Thor’s face. Rhodes trailed off. 

“Why do I even talk to you guys? Everywhere else that story kills. Oh, hey Asia, who’s the guy?” Asia smiled as Thor asked.

“That's the whole story?” Rhodes glanced at Asia, who said. 

“Boyfriend, Jem.” Then he winked at Bucky.

“Yeah, it's a War Machine story. Nice to meet you Jem.”

“Well, it's very good then.” Thor laughed. 

“It's impressive.” Rhodes smiled charismatically. 

“Quality save. So, no Pepper? She's not coming?” Tony shook his head. 

“No.” Maria Hill waltzed up, looking gorgeous as usual. 

“Hey, what about Jane? Where are the ladies, gentlemen? Oh sorry, Asia- Wow you looking stunning hun!” They hugged hello and Maria hissed. 

“Who is this?” Asia winked. 

“Maria, my boyfriend, Jem.” Bucky, who was talking with Rhodes to Asia amusement, waved at Maria who smiled serenely before they were both distracted by Tony. 

“Well, Miss Potts has a company to run,” Thor smirked. 

“Yes, I'm not even sure what country Jane's in. Her work on the convergence has made her the world's foremost astronomer.”

“And the company that Pepper runs is the largest tech conglomerate on earth. It's pretty exciting.” Stark snapped and Asia giggled quietly with Maria. 

“There's even talk of Jane getting a, um, uh, Nobel prize,” Maria spoke up after Thor had finished. 

“Yeah, they...they must be busy because they'd hate missing you guys get together.” Maria coughed. 

“Testosterone! Oh, excuse me.” Asia laughed and Rhodes put an arm around Maria’s shoulders. 

“Want a lozenge?” They waved at Asia and Bucky as they departed quickly and Asia tugged Bucky away to go talk to Natasha. Typically they were flirting. 

“How did a nice girl like you wind up working in a dump like this?” Bruce grinned over the bar at Nat. 

“Fella done me wrong.” She smirked. 

“You got lousy taste in men, kid.” Banner winked.

“He's not so bad. Well, he has a temper. Deep down he's all fluff. Fact is, he's not like anybody I've ever known. All my friends are fighters. And here comes this guy, spends his life avoiding the fight because he knows he'll win.” Nat smiled and Asia covered a snort of amusement. 

“Sounds amazing.” Banner nodded.

“He's also a huge dork. Chicks dig that. So what do you think should I fight this, or run with it?” By now Bruce was blushing and Nat grinned at him. 

“Run with it, right? Or, did he...was he...? What did he do that was so wrong to you?” Banner asked. 

“Not a damn thing. But never say never.” Nat winked, kissing Asia’s cheek and waving at Bucky as she strolled away.


	8. Sea Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The largest ocean on Earth is the Pacific Ocean, covering around 30% of the Earth's surface. 3. The name 'Pacific Ocean' comes form the Latin name Tepre Pacificum, 'peaceful sea'.

Bucky – Before

I am scared. Intimidated. Many words Asia uses to describe ordering takeaway at the shop, instead of by phone. Where is she? I can't see her but she is short, even in heels, but she's my short person, so I need to find her. I spot a flash of blonde hair and then she barrels into me. For a small person she packs a punch. She hugs her arms around me and I feel better.

The anxiety began when we left the car. I have only been with one person for almost two years. Seeing my old friend, and the guy I tried to kill was unnerving, and I have a bad feeling about her friend Natasha and the loud guy who hit on her that I did not like. I brush these thoughts away because Asia is smiling up at me.

She's doing the puppy dog face, which unbeknownst to her, makes me weak. She looks like a cute little baby with her big eyes and pouty mouth. I lean down and kiss her lips and her nails rake into my hair from the back of my neck, causing pleasurable shivers to course through my body.

If only she knew what she did to me. She doesn't understand, Asia is smart but when it comes to other peoples emotions, I pick up the slack. She is like my light at the end of the tunnel. A little bundle of slightly angry joy. She denies it, says that technically I saved her when I dived off the helicarrier, but that's never the way I mean it. I mean, that she saved my life in it's entirety.

She saved me from HYDRA, from Pierce, even from Steve once or twice. But the most important, she saved me from myself. And I can never repay her for that. I can never escape the nightmares unless I'm with her. The one this morning was a freak accident, and I know why. With Asia, we have developed a pattern.

Wake up when the sun rises, well I do. She gets up about 9.00 and grumbles around until I feed her and then we go for a run. Always undercover, she channels any security cameras we run past, anyone's thoughts and anything else that will pick up on us. Then, we run. She usually packs in earlier than me and will often get onto my back and make me run like that, while shouting amusing statements.

Sometimes, she takes me to get ice cream and we sit under trees and then when we are done, we stare up into the sky and watch clouds or just up in a tree and people watch. Going home, we decide on dinner, and because Asia has pretty much and endless income, from her parents and from Fury, who is constantly feeding money through or sending meal packages, shockingly enough, we are always eating well.

At the moment, we are 'binge-watching' The Hobbit trilogy. Asia loves them and always seemed to be able to announce exactly what they were going to say, as they said it. It was a habit I found both endearing and annoying. Night times were usually fun. We would shower, sometimes even separately and then fight playfully about who had to do the dishes before we would actually spar.

I had made Asia wear body-armor after I miscalculated the strength of my metal arm and had bruised her ribs and caused a huge dark bruise to swell over her entire right side. The guilt I had felt about that particular accident had made Asia feel equally as guilty and that had ended hilariously, as usual.

My thoughts again interrupted by Asia, tugging me towards the couches. I note that she is holding out a glass of red wine, which I love while she detests, she loves white wine so we usually find ourselves warring when it comes to the single bottle of alcohol Asia limits us to whenever we go shopping.

We collapse onto the couch and she strokes patterns across the back of my hand.

"But, it's a trick!" Arrow-man yelled, bringing my attention to him. I was pretty sure that Asia called him Clint.

"Oh, no. It's much more than that." The one called Thor had a booming laugh and he would be the one Asia spoke with least.

"Uh, "Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!" Whatever man! It's a trick." Clint had clearly had lots to drink and was talking out of character.

"Well please, be my guest." Thor smirked. Tony winked at Asia who squeezed Bucky's fingers lightly.

"Come on." Clint raised his brows.

"Really?" Barton stood ungracefully as Thor called.

"Yeah!" Rhodes, who was on my other side grinned.

"Oh this is gonna be beautiful." I manage a grin at him and it drops as Asia rests her head on my shoulder, distracting me.

"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Tony jokes and I distract myself by laughing.

"You know I've seen this before, right?" Barton grabbed it, but as we all seemed to know, it would not move. Barton smirked at Thor.

"And I still don't know how you do it." Tony chuckled.

"Smell the silent judgment?" Barton glared.

"Please, Stark, by all means." Stark stood up, smirking. Natasha laughed.

"Oh, here we go." Maria and Rhodes exchanged glances, before Tony grasped the handle, studying their faces briefly.

"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge." Clint cheered.

"Get after it." Nat rolled her eyes and Tony spoke again.

"It's physics." Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Physics."

"Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard?" Tony asked curiously.

"Yes, of course." Thor folded his arms.

"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta." Stark began to pull at it, but was failing hard.

"Better luck next time, old man." Asia sang, smirking at him.

"I'll be right back." Stark snapped. He reappeared wearing an ironman gauntlet whilst Rhodes also hurried to get his. Using both armoured hands, both men pulled at the hammer, but that thing wasn't budging.

"Are you even pulling?" Rhodes groaned.

"Are you on my team?" Tony snapped and I felt Asia laugh against my shoulder.

"Just represent! Pull!" Rhodes said, impatient.

"Alright, let's go!" Tony grumbled, both men now on short fuses. They pulled as hard as they could but to no avail, angrily stomping back to their places.

Asia draped an arm over the back of the couch, teasing my half metal shoulder gently and I leaned in to kiss her as Bruce tried to change into the Hulk but did not prevail, instead he embarrassed himself and made Natasha duck to take a sip from her red wine. Then it was Steve's turn.

"Let's go, Steve, no pressure. Come on, Cap." Steve stared Tony out before grasping the hammer.

The whole crew stared as the hammer squeaked, it had moved. Everyone stared in shock, and then Steve let go with a sigh.

"Nothing." They searched the room for more volunteers and decided on the women, "Widow?" Nat laughed into her drink.

"Oh, no no. That's not a question I need answered." And then all eyes to Asia. She groaned, standing and let my hand slip from hers. She walked over to the hammer and stared at it hard.

Only Steve and I seemed to pick up on what she was doing. She was checking out the channels surrounding Mjolnir and seeing if she could manipulate the air currents. Slowly, she curled her fingers around and pulled. The hammer lifted in her fingers, as Asia stared down at it. There was dead silence. Then Thor cleared his throat-

"I don't want to rule Asgard, don't worry, it was just a game big man." Asia said indifferently.

I stared at her. My girl, was worthy enough to rule a kingdom. She let it drop gently and shrugged her shoulders, looking smaller than she had before, as though she had shrunk in on herself.

"Well that was unexpected." Stark said quietly, all the humour in his voice gone without a trace. Thor looked unbelieving and picked up his hammer.

"But I though no mortal would have been worthy." Asia winked.

"Mutant!" There was an odd screeching sound and as all our eyes flicked over to the entrance to one of Tony's labs, out creaked a robot, well the remains of one.

I see Asia take a quick step back and watch her fingers begin to unlace the bindings holding her katanas. They are strapped to her back, beneath the dress and I see her sweep them free but they are still hidden.

"Worthy... No... How could you be worthy? You're all killers." Asia's eyes gleam as she makes a move towards me.

"No-" The robot says quietly.

"Not you little blonde. You've never killed anyone just for sport, you kill to keep yourself and your dearly beloved secret safe." Asia's eyes blazed.

"Stark." She snarled and Tony tapped his device.

"Jarvis." There was no response and I noticed that it has grown strangely cold.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or...I was a dream?" The creature said in it's odd gravely voice. Tony stabbed a finger at his device.

"Reboot, Legionnaire, we got a buggy suit." The creature seemed to be in it's own world, it's mind, if it had one, elsewhere.

"There was a terrible noise...and I was tangled in... in...strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Steve snapped.

"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices." Thor growled.

"Who sent you?" The robot seemed to smirk.

""I see a suit of armour around the world"." Tony's voice crackled from the creature, "Ultron!" Bruce's voice seemed to break through into the creature, Ultron's façade.

"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this...chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."

Natasha looked visibly upset.

"What mission?" Ultron nodded.

"Peace in our time." That's when all the robots flew through the windows. I drop into a crouch, and watch as Asia's frantic eyes search for me before one practically landed on her back. She twisted violently, swinging her blades up and plunging them back over her shoulder, into the bot's brain. She yanked the twin blades apart before sprinting towards me, sliding under the table and handing me the gun she had on precaution of us being attacked.

She nodded at me, squeezing my fingers tightly before we moved to fight. For once, we didn't fight the other, our movements similar and for once deadly. Asia called to Steve.

"Cap, shield!" She kicked the shield from the ground it and spun around before hurling the shield at the murder bot going for Steve, as I began to fire rounds at a bot on Rhodes' back.

Asia had wrapped herself around one of them by the time I turned around, her fingers digging into the gap between it's head and neck trying to prise it free.

"James!" She yelled and I know what she wants. I slam my fist into the murder bot's chest, sending it back and releasing it's head from it's shoulders. She smirked at me, before her eyes go wide-

"Duck!" She hurls her katana over my head as I drop and I hear the sound of a bot hitting the floor

"Cap!" Clint yelled and Steve spun, slamming his shield into the head of the murder bot behind him before with a sigh, we are free of the bots.

"That was dramatic! I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?" I watch as he picks up a head of the bots.

"With these? These puppets? There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction."

Thor hurled his hammer then, and it shattered into Ultron's body, dismembering the evil bot. It became to sing quietly.

"I had strings, but now I'm free. There are no strings on me, no strings on me." Asia shuddered heavily and I wrap an arm around her shoulders. Then, she seems to see something and I see it too. The cast we had around my hand is in tatters.

"Shit, why'd you have to fucking rescue me?!" She sighs quietly before lacing our fingers together and spinning spare tape around her hand before it's normal again, hidden.

"All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch." Banner was saying.

"Ultron." Steve grumbled.

"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other." Natasha muttered. Asia held up her hands.

"Y'all know all that you can about me." Tony laughed.

"Clearly not, Ultron pretty much told us you were hiding something big."

Asia's mouth tightened and Steve gave Tony a black look.

"Nuclear codes." Maria interrupted.

"Nuclear codes. Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can." Rhodes said.

"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." Steve shook his head at Natasha's words.

"He didn't say dead. He said extinct. And Asia, you can take care of the information spread and nukes are your speciality, I know." Asia nodded but Clint had another focus.

"He also said he killed somebody." Maria shook her head, "But there wasn't anyone else in the building." Tony nodded, something like sadness in his shrewd gaze. "Yes there was." Stark brought up a 3D image.

"That's JARVIS." Asia whispered to me, but I was still confused.

"This is insane." Banner murmured.

"Jarvis was the first line of defense. He would've shut Ultron down, it makes sense."

"No, Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is...rage. Asia, can you fix him?" Asia studied the image.

"Yes. I'm going to need several hundred lines of code and full access to all his data and to S.H.I.E.L.D's, it's the only key I have to go by, and I can get JARVIS on the offence as well." She was interrupted when Thor grabbed Stark by the throat and held him into the air.

"Woah, woah, woah! It's going around." Clint yelped, getting clear of Thor immediately. "Come on. Use your words, buddy." Tony choked, Thor glared at him and Asia began to weave her hands in an intricate pattern and suddenly Tony was breathing again as Thor released his grip as electricity from his hammer crawled in bright sparks up his arms.

"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark."

"Thor! The Legionnaire." Steve asked.

"Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again." Asia raised a tentative hand.

"Hey, I can fucking trace the shit out of that thing, I got an imprint of it the other day and I can track the airways." Murmurs of gratitude and praise rolled towards Asia who grabbed a laptop and began to work quickly.

"The genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron." Nat grumbled at Stark.

"I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?" The Asian woman who I hadn't been introduced to began to speak. Tony started to laugh.

"You think this is funny?" There was a warning in Thor's voice.

"Of course he fucking does." Asia muttered, but everyone in her vicinity, including me, heard her clearly.

"It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so...is it so...it is. It's so terrible." Tony spluttered out.

"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand." Thor looked anything but amused.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this." Asia glared up.

"Stark, shut the fuck up, you have no idea what you are saying."

"Tony, maybe this might not be the time to..." Banner started.

"Really?! That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls." Tony snapped and Banner flinched.

"Only when I've created a murder bot." He snapped back.

"We didn't. We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?" Tony snarled.

"Enough!" Asia growled.

"Or I don't fix JARVIS and I will not be tracking that fucking scepter.

"Well, you did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than SHIELD." Steve snapped.

"Anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole?" Tony asked.

"No, it's never come up." Rhodes sounded pissed, I thought, not as nice as he was earlier.

"Saved New York?" Tony still sounded quite amused.

"Never heard that." Asia snapped out.

"Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's...that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?" Tony sounded almost sad.

"Together." Steve said. Tony scoffed.

"We'll lose."

"Then we'll fucking do that together, too." Asia piped up and they all stared at her.

"What, I am an Avenger too guys!" Steve smiled warmly at her before game face was back on.

"Thor's right. Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller. Everyone needs sleep first, so we will recalibrate in the morning and Asia, we need your help even more than ever." Asia nodded and then we headed out in search of a spare bedroom.


	9. Chocolate Brown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smell of chocolate increases theta brain waves, which triggers relaxation. White Chocolate isn't technically Chocolate, as it contains no cocoa solids or cocoa liquor. It takes approximately 400 cacao beans to make one pound (450 gr.) of chocolate.

"He's all over the globe. Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place." Maria snapped the next morning.

"Fatalities?" Steve asked, from his crouch beside Asia, who was at the moment tracing the sceptre, and by extent the energy reading it left on Ultron, to try and figure out if he had left it somewhere.

"Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, and something too fast to see." Maria announced as Asia let out a snarl and the current running between her fingers dropped.

"Maximoffs. Well, that makes sense he'd go to them, they have someone in common." Wait, what the fuck?

"Wait, Wanda and Pietro?" She was ignored, to her fury.

"Not anymore." Maria showed Steve the tablet with a dead Strucker, peace written on the wall behind him. It seemed the murder bot knew exactly who to fuck with.

"That's a negative. I answer to you. Yes, ma'am." Barton snapped into a phone and Steve held up a hand to interrupt him.

"Barton, we might have something."

"Gotta go." Barton said, his voice softening enough for Asia's eyebrows to gather in confusion.

"Who was that?" She asked, her tone full of teasing.

"Girlfriend." Clint winked at her and Asia wolf whistled with a grin. Steve had gathered the other Avengers and Maria was taking it onto herself to show the poor naive Strucker's fate.

"What's this?" Tony asked,

"A message. Murder bot killed murder man." Asia said, working on channelling the last fibre of the bloody sceptre into her mind's eye.

"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us." Tony muttered, Asia rolled her eyes at that comment, she didn't particularly feel inclined to the artist.

"This is a smokescreen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" Nat murmured.

"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss." Steve said, glancing at Asia for confirmation and she nodded in affirmation.

"You bet your ass."

"Yeah, I bet he-Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased." Nat sighed as Tony eyed Cap.

"Why are you so calm about Asia using bad language, she's like 24 and has the mouth of a 50 something trucker." Asia flipped him off and Steve crushed her in a quick hug before she licked him and he released her with a grumble.

"She's my best friend, she's always sworn around me."

"Not everything." Banner spoke up, interrupting a fluffy Steve and Asia moment. The team, if that's what they even were at the moment, Asia thought bitterly, as she committed the papers on Strucker to memory.

"Known associates. Well, Strucker had a lot of friends." Steve muttered.

"Just like me!" Asia piped up and Bruce gave her a gentle smile.

"Well, these people are all horrible."

Stark spoke.

"Wait. I know that guy." Banner handed him the photo as Asia stared at her hands, she'd managed to get ink on them.

"From back in the day. He operates off the African coast, black market arms." At the looks he received from Asia and Steve, Tony backtracked pretty damn fast.

"There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything."

Asia rolled her eyes.

"Fucking likely." Tony punched her and she channelled his airways until he gasped for breath. She released him and flipped him off.

"He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was all very "Ahab."" Thor pointed at something of the back of the ugly guy's neck.

"What's this?" Tony looked puzzled.

"Uh, it's a tattoo. I don't think he's had it..." Asia shook her head.

"No, I have a tattoo, that isn't a tattoo, look at the skin and the colour. That is a fricken brand."

Banner quickly id'ed it, "Oh, yeah. It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief, in a much less friendly way." Asia snickered.

"Like what?" Banner whispered something to her and Asia's eyes widened in delight.

"What dialect?" Steve interrupted what could become a murderous rampage of Asia's before Bruce spoke again.

"Wakanada...? Wa...Wa...Wakanda." Tony raised a brow and Asia wanted to flick it for some ungodly reason.

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." Tony murmured as Asia began to fiddle with her hair.

"I thought your father said he got the last of it?" Steve worried.

"I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?" Bruce asked. Asia ran her nails down Steve's shield, earning amused looks from half the team, and annoyed death stares from the other half.

"The strongest metal on earth." Steve smacked Asia's hand, "Where is this guy now?"

"What?! I'm not...!" Asia watched the murder bot from her perch, her hand resting lightly on Steve's shoulder.

"I'm not. You think I'm one of Stark's puppets, his hollow men? I mean look at me, do I look like Iron Man? Stark is..." Asia managed not to throw up the content of her stomach, two stolen Poptarts from Thor and one of the protein bars Colossus sent her as Klaue or whatever his name was' arm was suddenly no longer joined to the rest of his body.

She wondered if Bucky was alright, she had left him in Stark tower with a shit load of movies and books and even her laptop, her prized possession and Bucky fucking knew it.

"I'm sorry. I am sor... Ooh, I'm sure that's going to be okay. I'm sorry, it's just I don't understand. Don't compare me with Stark!" Murder bot kicked poor fucking stupid Klaue down the stairs.

"It's a thing with me. Stark is, he's a sickness!" Asia managed a smirk in Stark's direction before he jetted into the air with Thor following and Steve, with a glare at Asia, which said, "Stay in hiding you lil shit," joined them.

"Ahh, Junior. You're gonna break your old man's heart." Tony quipped.

"If I have to." Ultron fucking sassed. Asia chuckled quietly, before working on finding that goddamned sceptre, it wasn't here. Fuck.

"We don't have to break anything." Thor ever the dramatic darling rumbled.

"Clearly you've never made an omelet." Asia called and all eyes fixed on her. "Asia!" Steve snapped.

"Go!" He spoke in such a tone she almost shrunk back, but she was a fucking woman, and she didn't need to do what this heathen told her. She was probably gonna die because of that remark, whether it was by Steve's fury or her stealing Ultron's line.

"She beat me by one second." Ultron and Tony chorused as Asia superhero landed on the floor behind an impenetrable wall of manly muscle, aka Thor and Stevie.

"Ah, this is funny, Mr. Stark. It's what, comfortable? Like old times?" Asia froze as she recognised the voice, Pietro that quick little fucker.

"This was never my life." Stark snapped, an edge to his voice.

"You two can still walk away from this." Both of them goddamn it. Asia let out a low growl, hating her shortness, she couldn't death glare the twins from back here.

"Oh, we will." She was going to kill both of them she swore to god, both of them little shits were getting the biggest ass whooping known to man.

"I know you've suffered." Steve said softly.

"Uuughh! Captain America. God's righteous man, pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but..." Asia shocked him with his own circuits and the bot groaned, before she pushed through Steve and Thor.

"You ever speak to him like that again you fucking metal prick and I will rip you apart limb from limb you absolute fucking piece of-"

Steve clapped a hand over her mouth and moved her behind him as the twins stared at her with similar expressions of horror.

"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it." Thor boomed.

"I think you're confusing peace with quiet. I would say put a muzzle on your girl captain, but she amuses me enough that I might keep her alive." Asia gave him the finger over Steve's shoulder.

"Yuh-huh. What's the Vibranium for?" Tony changed the topic quickly.

"I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan!" Ultron spoke as Iron Legions began to engage Stark, Steve and Thor, whilst Asia was in the middle, creating a channel, almost like a force field but she didn't see the bot until she was knocked over the edge. Asia screeched in fright.

"Fuck!" She yanked at channels of air and suddenly she was in standstill, breathing as though she had just finished with Bucky.

She watched as Steve knocked Pietro back, before she glided through the air to hurl a ball of fire at one of the mercenaries. Speaking of, she missed her merc with a mouth. Fuck, Asia, eyes on the prize.

"Stay down, kid!" Steve snarled.

"Thor! Status?" Steve called.

"The girl tried to warp my mind. Take special care, I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty." Then he was cut off. Asia swore enough that Steve eyeballed her. "Fuck, sorry."

She let herself drop onto the next floor before prowling around the corner and then something began tingling in the back of her mind. Her vision vanished and suddenly she was in a different world. Wanda pulled away sadly, her eyes on her friend as she sadly turned, in search of the archer, who was second last.

Asia found herself standing back in HYDRA's basement. She was staring at Bucky, who was tightly bound to the chair. Her eyes swept around as she stared at him in horror.

"Bucky! Bucky, what the fuck are you doing?" She was pushed back and then they surrounded him, lowering something over him. Her heart thudded audibly in her chest and Asia found herself unable to breath as fear collapsed her lungs, staring at the man she loved.

He was screaming, screaming in pain and all the while, she could do nothing to help. Tears, weak and soppy, like she was in some baby fluff romance book wet her cheeks and she screamed out for him again. When he finally opened his eyes, they met hers and she knew immediately that something was wrong.

"Bucky?" She asked. But looking into his gaze, there was no recognition, none of the usual emotions she was used to seeing.

They had wiped him. Fuck. Asia stumbled back as he was freed from his bonds then he advanced towards her. His fingers hooked, one cold hand and the other warm, around her throat and then he lifted her from the ground. Her hands scrambled uselessly and she found herself struggling like a fish out of water, thrashing against his grasp.

"Bucky, no! Bucky, it's me, it's me!" She let herself sag, gasping at the small amount of air she could inhale before his fingers tightened even more.

Clint's eyes were full of worry as he looked down at the youngest member of the Avengers. Asia wasn't responding to him, or any of the others. They had been making an effort to wake her up since she had started screaming and clawing at her arms. Finally, she seemed to slacken and he shook her gently, prepared to pin her down if she fought, but when her eyes opened, there was no fight in there.

He stepped back, as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and closed her eyes tightly, as tears slipped from beneath her lashes, falling at a rate that alarmed him.

"Steve." Clint called, keeping the worry from his voice as best he dared. Steve hurried over, "She was calling for Bucky?" Clint said, confused as to who Bucky was. Steve paled before pulling Asia into his arms and walking off with her.

"If you wanna get some kip, now's a good time, cause we're still a few hours out." Clint told the rest of the team as Steve let Asia lay against his chest, her whole body shuddering.

"A few hours from where?" Stark asked, worried eyes fixing on Asia.

"A safe house." Clint said quietly.

**Author's Note:**

> mutant  
> resulting from or showing the effect of mutation - a mutant gene  
> "frequently only a small percentage of the offspring of mutants resemble their parents"  
> synonyms: freak, freak of nature, deviant, oddity, monstrosity, monster, mutation, variant, variation


End file.
